It Takes a Million Volts
by Nigel Yearning
Summary: A special gym tournament is taking place in Unova, and a Pikachu his Pichu are the center of attention. As Ash consults with the Mice Pokemon on Pokemon battling, rivals from a rouge Pokemon group watch from the sidelines, waiting to strike.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1_

It was anything but an ordinary day.

Unovan citizens looked on with feeling of wonder and curiosity. Either it was because they hadn't seen Mice Pokemon before, or they were old enough to recognize who the Pikachu was. Regardless, they kept their distance. Not wanting to cause any problems.

The Pikachu wore round-ring welding goggles. It was quite unusual to see any Pokémon wearing those things. If one would get close enough, he would notice the lens refracted light. People who wore glasses would figure out that these goggles were to correct the Pikachu's eyesight, the only question was how much trouble did the Pikachu have with those things.

The Mouse Pokémon carried its pre-evolution variant on its head. It was holding on tight, its eyes drooping and its ears sagging. The Pichu was dosed off, tuning out the world around it. It was too young to understand what kind of prejudices people think. Even other Pokémon wondered where these unusual creatures came from.

If only they knew.

"We're almost there at the Pokémon Center, Volta," the Pikachu spoke in a human voice, "Just hang tight, girl."

_"Okay, Tesla." _Volta muttered in a soft voice.

Tesla Westinghouse, the most powerful _and_ oldest Pikachu in the world. Medical technology from Unova's rebellious province, Faraday Island, helped extend his lifespan. People say that old age brings wisdom. That may be true, but the wisdom Tesla held would tell a different story.

When they reached the Pokémon Center, Tesla went inside and bought some food. The Nurse Joy was quite surprised that a Pikachu, let alone one that talks, had showed up at her doorstep. It was even more unusual that, instead of Pokémon food, Tesla ordered a bowl of noodles and a steamed apple. She watched as Tesla stepped outside the Pokémon Center and sat down at one of the outdoor tables, Volta leaped off his head and hopped into the chair next to him. The old Pikachu handed her the steamed apple, she attacked it with such an appetite that it made Tesla chuckle.

The Unovan people and their Pokémon looked on, one man pulled out a camera and started taking pictures while others gossip, couldn't believe that they had seen an actual Pikachu and Pichu in one spot. Tesla picked at his noodles with his chopsticks. Strangely his appetite wasn't feeling it, he used to eat till the Boufallants come home but not since the incident in Dixie. The old Pikachu sighed, his mind still going over what had happened to the Unovan-born Mice Pokémon called the Dixierats: The Pokémon he brought to the world who shared his curse. Many were emotionally scarred, while one became a hodgepodge of all three Mice Pokémon and got a case of schizophrenia. Tesla tried his best not to think of it and dug into his noodles. They were tasteless, lacking substance. The old Pikachu was sure that it tasted better for people though, since noodles were intended to be eaten by them.

Volta was done with her steamed apple before he knew it. She tapped Tesla on the shoulder and asked, _"Can I have some?"_

"Still hungry?" Tesla whispered.

The little Pichu nodded.

Tesla pushed the bowl of noodles towards her, "It's all yours."

Volta happily dug into the noodles like there was no tomorrow. Tesla looked up and glanced around at his surroundings. People were still staring at him, but not as much. Most had moved elsewhere, either heading for work or to go shopping. The old Pikachu hadn't gave much thought about them, he was used to the attention.

But this time he couldn't ignore them, he sensed trouble.

One young trainer walked like he was walking the red carpet. He wore a white jacket with short sleeves and a pair of gray pants. His shoes look a little worn, maybe they were a year or two old. The trainer's hat was firmly placed on his head, the bill firmly pointing forward. Tesla knew that look since the day he became a celebrity, this trainer's intending to battle.

_"Volta," _Tesla whispered to the Pichu in Pokémon speech, _"You might wanna get back."_

When he speaks Pokémon speech to Volta, that means he's deeply serious. Volta didn't need to be warned, she sensed the danger too. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon got up from the chair and gave Tesla space, the old Pikachu adjusted his eye-goggles and confront the trainer in question.

More people were watching now, their Pokémon more interested than their trainers. They knew something serious was afoot, "Someone should call Officer Jenny." a man seemingly thought aloud.

No one went off to find a videophone, calling the police wasn't necessary.

The trainer pointed a finger at him, "I wanna battle you, Tesla!"

Tesla said nothing, as he always done when being challenged. He just raised an eyebrow and stared at the trainer, as if he had learned to use Leer.

"You're just like what the history books said," said the trainer, "Quiet and assertive, I like that."

"He was talking a moment earlier." a bystander told him.

The trainer turned to him, "Had anyone spoke to him?"

"Just Nurse Joy and that Pichu, he speaks human words to them."

Volta hid behind the chair, instead of cowering in fear she looked on with curiosity. Something was about to happen, she wanted to know what.

"Well then," the trainer pulled out a Poké ball and enlarged it, "Oshawott, go!"

An Oshawott materialized before his feet, it held up its scallop, waving it around like a sword, "OshaWOTT!"

_A water-type, _Tesla thought in disbelief, _are you kidding me!?_

Since Tesla's an electric-type Pokémon, he had the advantage. But he won't need electric attacks for this, he decided to go blunt with this fellow.

The old Pikachu jumped off the chair and stepped forward, the bystanders backed away to give them space. The entire town seemed to have gone quiet.

Tesla glared at the Oshawott, using his own version of Leer. The Sea Otter Pokémon's eyes bulged out and gasped, he grabbed his chest and stepped back, trying to breathe.

"Did he just use Leer?" a bystander asked.

The trainer was unfazed, "Oshawott," he commanded, "Use Razor Shell!"

The Oshawott blinked, then nodded, _"With pleasure!"_

The Sea Otter pulled out its scalchop, a bright sky blue blade extend out of its side. The Oshawott wielded like a sword, then charged. Tesla held firm, his expression unchanged.

"Are you scared, Tesla!?" the trainer taunted.

Tesla said nothing, he just stood there and let Oshawott come to him.

When the Oshawott was right in arm's reach it started slashing its Razor Shell. Tesla made quick dodges, his reflexes were lightning-fast despite his age. What helps was the Sea Otter's moves were predictable, he had seen them so many times in his decades of battling that they reminded him of cookie cutters. Tesla smiled inside as he watched the Oshawott exert its energy cutting air.

"Come on, Oshawott," cried its trainer, "Get a hit on him!"

The Oshawott jumped back and tried to jam the Razor Shell into Tesla.

Predictable.

Tesla grabbed the Oshawott's wrist within a blink of an eye, stopping the tip of the Razor Shell just a centimeter from his belly. The Sea Otter Pokémon froze for a moment, then looked at Tesla, _"What the__-__?"_

The old Pikachu let out a smirk. With all his strength, Tesla twisted the Oshawott's wrist almost 360 degrees. The starter Pokémon screamed as his wrist gave out a loud painful crack, he dropped his scallop and tried to rip his arm out of Tesla's grasp. But the old Pikachu was unbearably strong.

_"Let go," _the Oshawott cried, _"Please let go!"_

Tesla released his death grip and kicked the Oshawott in the stomach, sending it stumbling backwards. The Oshawott nursed his hand. It was bent in an unnatural position, already swelling up. The trainer's jaw dropped and almost ran out to help his Oshawott, but backed off. He tried to call out another command but his voice got caught in his throat. Tesla's grin widened, this trainer was so inexperienced that he doesn't know the rules of Pokémon battling.

Like there were any rules.

The Mouse Pokémon picked up the scalchop, looked at it for a second. He turned back to the Oshawott, who was already on his knees. The Sea Otter Pokémon looked at him with tear-filled eyes, then held out his other hand.

Tesla gave him a nod, he held up the scalchop for everyone to see, then pumped it with an electric charge. The scalchop flashed purple, electricity buzzed and sparked madly off of it like a Tesla coil. Several bystanders' jaws dropped, not believing what they were seeing.

"Oh you gotta be kidding me," the trainer finally spoke.

With lightning-speed, Tesla tossed the scalchop back at Oshawott. It flashed a purple tail as it zipped through the air in half a second. The Sea Otter Pokémon couldn't dodge it in time. It struck Oshawott square in the stomach, knocking him back into his trainer's groin. Both the trainer and his Pokémon went down on their backs, their feet kicking up towards the sky. The electrically-charged scalchop flied into the air and landed just a meter near the duo, its charge ground into the earth and the purple sparks ceased.

"Was that legal?" a girl, who looked a lot like a more professional Pokémon trainer, asked.

Tesla turned towards the bystander, "Who says it has to be legal?"

Two Audinos ran out of the Pokémon Center and rushed to the duo's aid, one Audino checked to see if the trainer was alright. He stirred, and muttered, "That, hurts a lot."

The other Audino pressed its ear lobe against the Oshawott's chest, its eyes bulge out. It turned to its co-worker and cried, _"We gotta get him inside. Hurry, friend!"_

As the Audinos were getting out a gurney, Tesla scooped up Volta and placed him back on his head, "Let's go, Volta," he said, "I've seen enough."

Volta said nothing as she rested on Tesla's head. As Tesla walked away, he felt something in his chest, just underneath the breastbone. It was some sort of feeling, like it was heartburn or something. Tesla rubbed his chest, trying to shake off the feeling as he walked away.

**. . .**

_"__So what do you make of it, Smugleaf?" _Wotter asked as he lay casually on the dumpster.

Smugleaf looked on with a smirk on her face, _"This old fella's badass, he ain't taking no sh*t from anybody."_

_ "He could be a good candidate for the PRA."_

The Snivy turned to Wotter, _"More like a candidate to be a leader for the PRA, I hadn't seen such lightning coming out of an electric-type before."_

Smugleaf handed the binoculars back to the Dewott, _"So what do you make of it, Wotter?"_

The Discipline Pokémon shrugged, _"That Oshawott's an idiot, I would have done the same thing to him."_

_ "I don't think those moves are legal though," _said Smugleaf, _"Not that I care in all, but it may be a sign of personal grudges against the system."_

Wotter shook his head, _"He's simply too experienced, we'll leave it at that."_

_ "Agreed."_

The Snivy reached over her shoulder and pulled out her knife, a smooth carbon-steel machete with a wooden handle. She took the knife and jammed it underneath a trash can lid, using it as a lever she pulled the lid open and looked inside, _"I wonder what kind of goodies are in here."_

The Dewott just shrugged and looked on, watching the Mice Pokémon walk off, _"Nobark should know of this, right away."_

_ "We'll send it to him in the next report," _said Smugleaf, _"For now we tail that Pikachu and his little Pichu, I wanna see what else they both have up their sleeves."_

Smugleaf closed the trash can and turned to Wotter, _"I think we got a break, Wotter."_

Wotter looked at her with his usual stern face, _"We do, and if I were you I wouldn't get near them."_

_ "Not yet, anyways."_

_ "Smugleaf, I am not going to be responsible if you get electrocuted by that overpowering pissball."_

Smugleaf grinned as she held up her knife, _"That's not going to happen."_

The Pokémon Resistance Army had been steadily growing for the past 20 years. Their philosophy was that all Pokémon were equal to that of mankind. It sounded straight forward, Pokémon from many different shapes and sizes were recruited to the Cause. Many were recruited while in human captivity, some were taken just days or weeks after leaving their trainers. A few were recruited from the wild, but only a few. Pokémon who were nurtured in human captivity were easy to handle. Well, most of the time.

Despite the philosophy of the PRA, some parts of that philosophy were smudged or blurred. For example, under the PRA: All Pokémon were equal. However, in reality not all Pokémon were really equal. Nobark favored those who were bi-pedal and quadrupeds who can walk on two-legs with no difficulty. Prejudice was sometimes rampant, and power-hungry Pokémon would sometimes try to step on those who they fell were inferior to them. Wotter was one of those Pokémon. He had tried to do the same thing to Smugleaf, trapping in a room with Razor Shell to her throat.

Smugleaf soon made it clear to Wotter that she was as equal to him, and not some Pokémon to step on when he was feeling it. The Dewott had a phobia of Epson Salt, so she took a carton of Epson Salt and poured it over his privates to break him in. Since then Wotter hadn't made any more moves on Smugleaf, not even calling her "whore" as he used to. It looked like Smugleaf's former rival had become her best-friend.

But looks can be deceiving.

Smugleaf put her knife back into her holster and said, _"Let's go, Wotter, we're done here."_

Wotter nodded, _"As you say, Smugleaf."_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __2_

_"__You, like dominated them," _Volta went off as Tesla carried her down the sidewalk, _"I mean, you knocked them down with two blows!"_

"Yes," Tesla said without much enthusiasm, "I did, but it isn't something to be proud about."

_"Why?"_

Tesla sighed, he picked her off his head and told her, "I'll tell you when you're older, you're too young to understand."

Volta nodded, then asked, _"Tesla?"_

"Yes, Volta?"

_"What were your parents like, and your brothers and sisters?"_

Tesla thought for a moment, "They were the best family I ever had, but that was a long time ago."

_"Can you tell me the story when you got into a fight with your brother about the scraps of food?"_

Tesla shook his head, "I don't feel like it, Volta. I'm too tired right now."

_"You didn't even __break__ a sweat when you battled that Oshawott, it was effortlessly done!"_

"I'm just old, Volta, I need to rest."

Volta looked on, _"Well, it is getting close to nap time."_

Tesla cradled Volta in his arms, "Volta, I love you."

_"I love you too, Tesla."_

Volta rested her head against his shoulder. Tesla let out a smile, but it faded within seconds. He wasn't feeling too good. His heart felt sore, emotionally at least. Having Volta over it seemed to soothe it.

She was the most adorable thing Tesla had ever met. The only problem was, Volta wasn't his child. The father who brought Volta to the world lost his mate during a nasty confrontation against some poachers, and he was desperate for the egg. But when Volta hatched, she bonded to Tesla instead of him. The father – what was his name, Pika? – realized he wanted the best for his daughter. So when Tesla was getting ready to leave Dixie National Park, Pika told her to go with him.

_The pain he felt was familiar, _Tesla thought, _I had felt it when I lost my-_

He stopped himself from thinking and focused what was in front of him. Sure, the family curse had hit a lot of his relatives one way or another. Sometimes it hits other people, causing relationships to crumble, marriages turning south. Those were bad years. But things were looking up, Faraday Island – his trainer's home – went through another economic boom. Quarrels between the politicians from the island and the mainland heated up at least once a month, followed by a period of silence. The Governor of Faraday Island claimed that they were getting closer for independence, but that wasn't likely. Regions of the world like to hang on to their little plots of outside land regardless of value. This habit would be their downfall.

The fire burning in his chest lessened and the world brightened. Tesla hoisted Volta in his arms, she had fallen asleep again. Or she was resting her eyes. He couldn't tell which.

_"Tesla," _she asked, _"Where are we going?"_

"Wherever fate takes us," said Tesla, "I'm not even sure where we're going anyway."

As they were walking down the street, they noticed a crowd was gathering around a small stage. On the stage was a man, dressed up in janitor clothes with TV cables clipped to his belt. The man's face had a few wrinkles, yet seemed young. He was probably somewhere between his thirties and forties, bursting with an energy of a twenty year old. A name tag was stitched onto his janitor uniform, it read STUCKY in green capital letters.

For some reason, he looked very familiar...

"Step right up, step right up," he announced as he pointed to a poster, "We got ourselves here the Faraday Power Tournament, where Pokémon trainers battle using electric-type Pokémon! The winner gets fifty thousand Pokédollars; Freshly printed from the Unova Mint, and delivered to you in person!"

Stucky held up a poster. In it was an aluminum briefcase, the inside lining with crisp Pokédollar bills. The crowd was amazed as they began talking to each other, saying they're going to win the tournament.

_Not my interest, bub, _Tesla thought.

Stucky's eyes drift and centered on Tesla, "Now lookie here," he announced, "It's Tesla Westinghouse!"

He jumped off the stage and rushed up to Tesla, the crowd gasped and went silent. Tesla stood his ground as Volta jumped out of his arms, running behind him for cover. The old man screeched before him, took a moment to catch his breath before saying, "You remember me, right Tesla? I'm Gerald Stucky, I used to work at your trainer's Faraday City Gym as the maintenance manager!"

Tesla frowned. Stucky used to be the referee as well as the maintenance manager. Irvin liked him so much that he often goes drinking with him once a month. Stucky quit his job after Irvin's death, Tesla didn't know what he had been doing since.

"I do remember," the old Pikachu says, "You kept whistling that damn tune while it was playing in the overhead speakers."

"You haven't changed much, I see you still have that look on your face," Stucky then changed subject, "I've heard what happened back on Faraday City, about the pardon and such."

"That is over and done with," said Tesla, then he asked, "So what have you been doing since you've left Faraday Island, Stucky?"

"I got a job with the local utility company, then I signed a contract with a group of electric-type Pokémon trainers years later. Before I knew it, I became one of the key staff members of Vegas City's Faraday Power Tournament, thanks to my experience working at the Faraday City Gym," then Stucky asked, "You look kinda different now, how's your days Tesla?"

"For the most part, fine. But at times, I wish people would leave me alone."

_So this town's called Vegas City, _Tesla thought, _d__oes that mean _savanna_ or something?_

Stucky nodded, "Yup, you haven't changed much. You're just like what I've remembered of you."

"Sir, you don't know me personally."

"All I know is that you never broke character when you were out at public with Irvin, does that take a lot of discipline?"

Tesla nodded, "Yes, it does. Simply not talking is hard enough, being a social Pokémon and all."

Stucky turned to the crowd and said, "Well ladies and gentlemen, here you have it. Tesla Westinghouse in the flesh, and _not _the myth."

"Thank you, Stucky," Tesla said sarcastically.

Stucky peeked behind Tesla, "Say, Tesla, who's that you got there?"

Volta hugged Tesla's back with an iron grip, the old Pikachu simply shrugged, "Sir, that would be my great-great granddaughter. Her name is Volta, and she's quite shy since she was born recently. She doesn't know much about the world yet."

"Where did you get here, who's her parents and how did you wound up with her?"

Tesla felt steam coming out of his ears, "Stucky, I appreciate your curiosity but you're throwing me a lot of questions here. Her mother's dead and the father gave me to her to raise because he's too distraught to take care of her himself. I don't wanna go into anymore details about her and my family, it's just too personal."

Stucky nodded, "I see, if you need any help Tesla you know who to ask."

Finally Tesla let out a smile, though it was fake, "I'll keep that in mind, Stucky. It was nice talking to you."

_Even though I hate every part of it. _Tesla thought, but didn't say.

"Take care, Tesla." said Stucky.

Tesla hoisted Volta on his head and he walked off, when he was out of earshot Tesla let out a swore, _"F*cken, Irvin."_

_ "Tesla," _insisted Volta, _"No swearing!"_

The old Pikachu chuckled, "Sorry about that, baby girl."

_"Tesla, why were you so mad? Stucky wasn't doing anything wrong."_

Tesla shook his head, "No, he wasn't. He's a nice man, Volta. But the thing is, he was from a chapter in my life I do not wish to live again. There's just too many memories."

_"Tesla," _Volta asked, _"Are you hurting?"_

"Why you ask that, Volt?"

_"You're rubbing your chest a lot, is there something bothering you?"_

_ She picked up on that? _Tesla thought.

"Just family problems, Volta," said Tesla, "It just hurts my heart thinking about them."

_"It hurts me too, I can feel it too, Tes."_

Tesla squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, _I'm such a dumbass._

_ "I can feel that too."_

Volta was more sensitive than he previously thought. She hadn't said anything about his feelings until their encounter with Stucky. Tesla forgotten how sensitive Pichus were to others feelings, it was like they could read minds.

_Maybe they do read minds, _Tesla thought, _Oh sh*t._

**. . .**

Smugleaf and Wotter's little hideout wasn't exactly the best but it would had to do. It was an abandoned apartment building, somewhere near the center of town. It was also located just outside the storm drain access should in case they need a fast escape. Smugleaf didn't believe things would come to that, their base of operations were well-hidden near the center of the apartment complex. Kerosene lamps and candles lit the room, giving it a dim glow. As Smugleaf was setting up an old musty table, Wotter came back with a weathered chair. When Smugleaf finished putting together the table, she tried shaking one of the legs. The table leg held firm, this table wouldn't be falling apart anytime soon.

Smugleaf checked the chair, she frowned, _"It looks a little rotted."_

_ "It won't fall apart," _said Wotter, _"I tested several chairs and some gave under my weight, this chai__r was the only one that wouldn't break.__"_

Smugleaf grinned, _"With that set up, we'll get started at that report. Nobark would be expecting it any day now."_

_ "No need to keep the messenger waiting then." _

The report was typed out on an old manual typewriter. It was difficult to type since both Smugleaf and Wotter don't have enough digits on their hand, and what they do have were a little small. Nonetheless, Smugleaf went to work at the report and Wotter revised it. They went through 7 drafts to type out the final product.

_"Okay," _said Smugleaf, _"The dead-drop spike, please."_

Wotter handed her a black tube that was at least 10cm long, it looked like a PVC pipe spray-painted black. Technically it was, until some PRA techie fitted it with an aluminum steel bar. The techies designed it like a puzzle. Twist the ends in a per-designated pattern. Get it right and the dead-drop spike opens. Get it wrong and the thing blows up in your hands, killing you and vaporizing the message it contains in the process.

_How dandy, _Smugleaf thought as she folded up the report.

She stuck it inside the dead-drop spike and sealed it up. The combination was always the same, Nobark's encryption geeks never got around to changing it. Maybe Nobark didn't care, who knows. The Scrafty may be getting frailer as he age but he was still holding strong, or whatever that means in his case.

_"Who's turn is it to make this round?" _Wotter asked.

_"Mine," _said Smugleaf, _"We'll make the drop around midnight. So right now, __we__ have plenty of __free time__ to do whatever we want."_

Smugleaf opened the safehouse door and stepped out, and Wotter followed her outside, _"So what do you want to do then?" _he asked.

_"We'll keep tabs on those Mice Pokémon," _said Smugleaf, _"See what comes up."_

_ "Remember, Smugleaf. You'll get electrocuted from a simple wrong move."_

_ "We're not going to risk an encounter, we're just gonna watch from the distance."_

Wotter nodded, _"Agreed, then."_

**. . .**

_"__Tesla?" _Volta asked.

"Yes, Volta?"

_"I've been thinking, about that tournament."_

"It's just a tournament with your usual prize," said Tesla, "It's always like that for Pokémon battling. Sometimes trainers get badges, sometimes they get something else. It's always the same concept, not much to it change."

_"That's not what I've been thinking about."_

"Oh, so what's on your mind, baby girl?"

Volta twirled her fingers and said, _"You've battled that Oshawott pretty hard, just two swift blows and it was over. __That was __incredible__, Tesla."_

Tesla sighed, "Like I said before, Volta, it isn't something to be proud about."

_"Why?"_

"Cause I bet I've killed the Oshawott, I didn't see him breathing after he went down."

Volta went silent for a moment, then Tesla asked, "What do you want, Volta. You don't seem to sure about something."

_"I'm just not too sure on how you would take it."_

"Whatever it is, I can take it."

_"No you won't, you'll be flabbergasted."_

_ She's been around me for too long, __long enough to figure out how to read me._Tesla grinned, he pulled her off his head and held her up to eye level, "What is it, Volta? What's on your mind?"

_"I wanna enter the tournament."_

Tesla almost dropped her, "What?"

She shot a finger at him, _"See! Y__ou didn't take it, you flinched! It's written in your eyes!"_

Tesla looked around to see if anybody's in earshot, then took a deep breath. For weeks, he had explained to Volta about how the world works. He done his best to give her an unbiased opinion, even explained how Pokémon battling works. He'd only taught her the concept, not the practice. He wasn't expecting her to take interest in Pokémon battling. But she had, and apparently she had a secret agenda in mind.

"Look, Volta," said Tesla, "It's not that I don't approve. It's because of one, you're too young, and two, you need to have a human trainer for this. You know that Pokémon are treated as second class citizens in this world."

_"I think that can be arranged," _said Volta, _"Stucky might owe you a few favors with something!"_

In truth, he does. Everybody he ever met always owed him a few favors. Tesla recalled that he helped Stucky do some electrical wiring, he only told him what he need to know and nothing irrelevant. When Stucky asked him something that wasn't on task, Tesla would tell him, "Talk about it to my trainer."

He was just another human who knew his secret of talking, and now that the secret was out, Stucky couldn't use any leverage against him. Tesla considered his options, maybe he could persuade Stucky to pull a few strings after all. The only question was, how would Volta handle an actual Pokémon battle.

"Volta," said Tesla, "I could go over a million different reasons why I'm not allowing you to battle. I would say you're too young, I would say that your little body might not handle it, and I would say get beat up and you'd be miserable beyond your wildest imagination. But the one thing you have to counter all of that is I won't be there for you forever, and you'll need to learn how to protect yourself. And I wouldn't blame you."

"So," Tesla finally says, "The answer is yes."

Volta cheered and hugged Tesla's head, _"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"_

Without warning, Volta accidentally discharged her own electricity. Bright yellow light flashed as it ground into trash cans and a nearby light pole. She yelped, Tesla managed to calm her down, "There there," said Tesla, "It's alright, baby girl!"

Volta looked at her with little glazed eyes, _"Please don't regret it, Tesla," _she pleaded, _"For whatever happens, promise me not to regret it!"_

_ Okay, _he thought, _She's been around me for too long._

Tesla placed her fingers on her chest and spoke in his Pikachu voice, _"I won't, Volta, I promise."_

Little did he know, he would soon regret making that promise.

**. . .**

Stucky made his rounds around the Vegas City arena. Checking circuit breakers, security feeds, plumbing, and going over the daily meeting with the senior janitors. He was feeling enthusiastic for seeing Tesla after all these years, but a part of him felt distraught. Tesla was obviously not happy to see him and wasn't interested in what he was trying to offer. That was Tesla, the old little Pikachu who takes no sh*t from anybody. Even from the folks he was on good terms with.

He had met Tesla around his mid-teens, the Pikachu was quite old back then. He hadn't changed much. His human voice was pretty much the same when he first heard it. Assertive, serious, with a lot of sarcasm and a little humor. He hadn't changed mentally, but his body was noticeably more frail. His once plush cheeks had sunken in, his belly giving in to a small cavity with some ribs showing. Stucky was concerned at what he saw, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Just as he sipped his coffee, he almost spat it out when he looked out the window. There he was, Tesla, walking towards the main entrance of the arena, carrying his little descendant with him, _Oh that is a surprise. _He thought.

Stucky ran out of his office and towards the stairs. It was a long way down, he kept a steady pace as he descend several flights of stairs before reaching the lobby.

**. . .**

The Vegas City gym had a yellow paint job, the color was bright as it was offensive. Tesla noticed several solar panels well displayed on the face of the arena, lining several windows and gaps in a stunning art display. Volta squirmed, she hopped off Tesla's head and cried, _"It looks pretty!"_

"It sure does," said Tesla, "I just wish they use a darker shade of yellow."

_"You don't like the color yellow?"_

Tesla shook his head, "I didn't say I don't like it, I just said they should have used a darker shade. Notice it's a little bright?"

Volta nodded, _"Yeah, it's a little bright."_

The place looked like it was closed for the time being, a sign announced that the upcoming tournament was within a week. As if that wasn't enough, it was the last day to register for the tournament.

_We've got here just in time. _Tesla thought.

Tesla held Volta's hand as they walked into the lobby. The ceilings were high, grand and spacious. Conjoining to the lobby was large corridors with empty food stalls. They were empty, the shutters closed and the neon turned off. Tesla wondered if there was anybody here, he was about to leave until a door opened up. Tesla turned and saw Stucky stepping out, he looked a bit surprised but nonetheless glad to see him.

"Hello again, Stucky," Tesla simply says.

He felt Volta shivered, Tesla squeezed her hand to reassure her everything was fine.

"I saw you coming up that sidewalk," said Stucky, "I was glad to see you."

"Admit it, Stucky," said Tesla, "You're thinking about my well-being, I could read it in your eyes. I don't blame you, the old wounds are still sore but I'll live."

Stucky nodded, "But that's not why you're here."

Tesla wrapped his arm around Volta's shoulder, "My great-great granddaughter here wants to enter the tournament, she has what it takes."

"She'll need a trainer," said Stucky.

"I'll be her trainer."

Stucky raised an eyebrow, already Tesla saw this wasn't going to work, "A Pokémon being the trainer of another Pokémon?"

"Stucky, I have 70 years of experience under my belt and I've tutored Irvin's Pokémon within those years. They all started off just like Volta, as baby Pokémon. Before everyone knew it, they were on top of the world . . . or was on top of the world."

Stucky crouched and held up his hand to Volta,she buried her face into Tesla's shoulder, "Had she ever battled before?"

"No, but I can change that."

Volta peaked out and stared at Stucky's hand, then sunk her face back into Tesla's fur. Stucky shook his head and said, "I don't know, Tesla, she might not have what it takes."

"She does, she just needs to bring it out. Maybe with a little luck, she'll evolve on the battlefield."

Volta broke out of Tesla's grip and went tumbling to the floor. She shot up on her hind legs and chanted, _"I do! I do! I do have what it takes!"_

Stucky may not have understood the words, but he got the message, "Alright, Tesla, I'll pull a few strings. Just please don't let her go down after two blows, I hate to see her get defeated outright."

"I've broken a lot of bones to win in my battles," said Tesla, "If she's that determined, we'll see what happens."

Stucky stood up, "Okay, will she be ready by the time of the tournament?"

"Ready enough."

The room went silent for a moment, then Stucky added, "It's great to see you going back to the field, Tesla."

_Not really, _Tesla thought, but didn't say. The old Pikachu simply nodded and said, "I promise you won't be disappointed."

**. . .**

_Well this is going to be interesting, _Stucky thought as he watched Tesla and Volta leave, _Tesla's going to be a Pokémon trainer._

And what better advantage does the Pokémon trainer have when he himself is a Pokémon? Tesla tends to do his own thing when in battle, and sometimes he wasn't properly in sync with Irvin. His trainer would call out one move and Tesla would use another Sometimes moves were invented on the spot, and some of those moves might be illegal to use in an official Pokémon battle.

_Of course, _Stucky thought, _Sometimes Tesla do__esn't__ play by the rules._

He wasn't sure how Tesla gets away with it, especially when he comes close to fainting. Does the old Mouse Pokémon have a secret agenda? If so, what in the world was he up to? Stucky wondered how much trouble he would stir when the crowd sees him and his great-great granddaughter walk into the arena, waving with picture-perfect smiles that look like a million Pokédollars. It was going to bring in a lot of shock and disbelief, maybe some fuses would get blown.

_And things would get heated up. _Stucky thought.

He headed back to the office and approached the videophone, he pressed the touchscreen to boot up the keypad, then dialed in his boss's number.

**. . .**

_"Well that went well," _Volta thought out loud.

"I'm not sure you might get in, Volta," said Tesla, "But at least we've tried, now all we have to do is wait."

Volta turned to him and pouted, _"I don't wanna wait, I wanna know now!"_

"We'll come back tomorrow," said Tesla, "Right now we gotta find a place to stay, maybe someplace better than a Pokémon Center for once."

_"__How about a hotel that serves pumpkin spice cocoa," _Volta asked, _"With a fireplace, and a swimming pool."_

"A swimming pool," Tesla asked, "Why would you want a swimming pool?"

Volta smiled, _"So we could go swimming!"_

That made Tesla nervous, "Oh, of course. Swimming."

_"Can you swim, Tesla?"_

Tesla hesitated, "I do, I just prefer to touch the bottom of . . . something. I just can't stand a deep pool."

_"Why?"_

Tesla scratched his head, "Uh, being in water's never been my favorite past time."

_"You rather swim in a pool of alcohol than water, is that right?"_

_ Damn, _Tesla thought, _the little girl's getting clever._

In the past few weeks after Tesla had taken Volta in, he had occasionally drank beer whenever it was available. He never let Volta see him drink, but rather see the aftermath. He would stumble back into the Pokémon Center, all tipsy and bubbly and rant on with a silly streak, or suffer a mental breakdown. Whatever his mood, it sometimes scared Volta, usually to the point of taking responsibility in her own hands. Last week Tesla had a few too many and went to the bathroom to hurl, only to miss the toilet and pass out on his own vomit. Volta got so scared that she had Nurse Joy examined him, wondering if he had alcohol poisoning.

_At least I didn't go on a drunken rage and beat her, _Tesla thought, _I would never forgive myself if that happened._

_ "Tesla," _said Volta, _"Please don't drink."_

"You don't have to worry about it," said Tesla, "I'll have a pumpkin spice cocoa instead."

Volta let out a little smile, _"Would you be happy for me?"_

Tesla let out a smile, "If it last long enough," and then he said, "We'll see, Volta, we'll see."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __3_

It was the largest hotel in Vegas City. Tourist flocked here to rest after visiting the many restaurants, shopping malls, and museums in the city. For Ash, he was feeling proud of himself. Having just won his eighth gym badge, he was ready to enter the Unova League. For now, he needed a place to rest.

His friends Iris and Cilan stood with him, gazing up at the magnificent facade of the building. The face had an earth-like tan and texture, it was like the hotel was carved out by wind for millions of years. The windows even match the wave patterns, the curved glass warp the afternoon sunlight into an illusion, like they were fun house mirrors. Rows upon rows of plants and flowers were planted at the base of the hotel, every leaf and petal looking healthy and full of life.

"The Red Rock Hotel looks quite amazing," said Cilan, "I wonder what kind of gourmet style it has inside."

"Let's go check it out." said Ash.

"Pikachu!" his Pikachu chirped on his shoulder.

The trio stepped through the sliding glass doors, the faint smell of fresh ionized air floods their noses. They were awestruck from what was inside.

The lobby's ceiling was 4 meters up, the walls had a faint autumn leaf pattern wallpaper. The floors were polished granite tiles that shined under the florescent lights, Ash could make out his reflection without difficulty. Far in the back, there were vending machines and videophones ready to use. Next to them were the bathrooms, conveniently marked for each gender. To the left was a cyber lounge; Rows upon rows of computer terminals were up and running, their screen saviors showing the hotel logo: A gray rock sitting on top of a green oval leaf. Next door was the breakfast room, faint aromas from this morning's breakfast food still wafer through the open doors.

To the right were several brown lounge chairs and couches, complete with a grand fireplace. An HDTV was mounted on the back wall, tuned to the local news channel. The lounge seats looked quite relaxing, and since nobody was there sitting Ash could try each seat out to see what was more comfortable. He walked into the lounge area and ran his fingers across the textured surface of the chairs. Wow, they were that comfy, "Cool." said Ash.

Cilan and Iris followed behind him and looked at the fireplace, "I only wish the fireplace is lit," said Iris, "I'd like to warm my toes near the fire."

"Axew ew!" Axew chirped.

"Maybe they'll light it tonight," said Ash, "I heard it's going to get cold later this evening."

Ash walked around one of the chairs facing the fireplace, he got a surprise of what he found sitting in it, "Tesla?"

Cilan and Iris stood next to Ash, they both giggled. Tesla and his great-great granddaughter were sleeping in the chair, barely clutching two empty coffee cups. The Pichu looked quite happy as it slept against Tesla's side, while he old Pikachu himself looked dead. His jaw hanged open as his tongue slurped out.

At first glance, Tesla looked peaceful. But as Ash peered closely, he noticed something different about him. He looked like he'd lost some weight, Ash recalled he was more plushier the last time he saw him. Then again, his mood wasn't at an all time high the last time he saw him.

"Tesla," Ash shook the old Pikachu's shoulder, "Tesla, hello?"

"Don't wake him, Ash," Iris insisted, "He's sleeping!"

Too late, Tesla let out a yawn and his eyes fluttered open, "Hi Tesla," said Ash, "How you're doing?"

The old Pikachu blinked, then mumbled under his breath, "I was just sitting her enjoying a pumpkin spice cocoa when the world turned fuzzy, and everything went brown."

Tesla sat up and stretched his arms, he then realized who it was and smiled his biggest smile yet, "Hi, Ash, it's great to see you again."

Volta stirred next, she sat up and let out a tiny yawn, "Pi?" she cooed.

"Look, Volta," said Tesla, "It's Ash!"

Volta blinked and looked up, her eyes went wild with excitement, "Pichu!"

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon leaped off the chair and pounced on Pikachu, he went leaping off of Ash's shoulder and collapsing on the ground. Volta was on him, nibbling on his ears with her tiny teeth, "Pika Pika Pi!" Pikachu giggled.

"Looks like Volta missed your Pikachu," said Tesla, "She talks about him on occasion."

Volta took an instant liking of Pikachu when they first met. Ash watched as Volta began licking Pikachu's cheeks. He laughed, trying to push Volta away while pleading for her to stop, "Pika!" Pikachu insisted as he laughed with glee.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon jumped off of Pikachu and crawled back up to Tesla, snuggling up against his side for dear warmth, "I swear, Ash," said Tesla, "Every time I see you, the world brightens. You just made my day again."

"Your welcome," Ash grinned.

"I got some good news," said Tesla, "Wanna hear it?"

"Sure," said Iris, "What is it?"

"Axew?" Axew added.

"Volta's going to enroll in Vegas City's Faraday Power Tournament. It's a Pokémon battling tournament where trainers use electric-types in spontaneous electrifying battles. I'm going to be her Pokémon trainer."

That raised a lot of eyebrows, "It is quite unusual for a Pokémon to be a Pokémon trainer." said Cilan.

"I have decades of experience," said Tesla, "And I know what it feels like to battle. Believe me, this will get interesting."

"Pichu!" chirped Pichu.

Ash became concerned, he recalled that Pichus have trouble mastering their electricity early from birth. Tesla's Pichu was barely a few weeks old, she had no idea what Pokémon battling is like, "When's the tournament?" Ash asked.

"About a week," said Tesla, "For the next few days, we'll be training almost constantly. Can you help me train Volta, Ash?"

Ash raised a fist, "Yeah, sure. I'll help you!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.

**. . .**

Tesla and Volta joined up with Ash in getting a hotel room, since both Mice Pokémon needed a place to sleep. Oh, the Pokémon Center beds were fine. Comfy and warm, ready to sleep in upon request. But for special occasions, like the upcoming tournament later this week, a higher-quality bed was on demand.

Cilan slid the key card into the door's electronic lock and it clicked open. The group went inside, they were just as amazed at the scenery. Like the lobby and the skin of the building, the room was curved: A simple rectangle with bloated corners, rounded so smooth that they became curves. And added bonus was that the large pane of window as also curved, warping the world outside as it does to sunlight. The only things that weren't curved were the furniture. They were dark-stained oak furniture, the same kind of furniture found in all hotels. The only difference was the mattresses, according to the receptionist the beds were Tempurpedics. Three big king-size beds fitted with memory foam mats for added comfort, added with two layers of comforter for added warmth.

Before anybody could call out what beds they were getting, Tesla and Volta made a break for it. They leaped up on the closest bed near the bathroom and jumped on it. Their bodies disappear into the cushions, they giggled and laughed their hearts out as they reemerge, "Ah, yes," said Tesla, "Plenty of give for my back and cushions to raise my legs, I never felt this comfortable in 20 years!"

_"This is so soft!" _awed Volta.

Pikachu and Axew leaped off their trainers and jumped on the beds, they vanished within the cushions for a second, then sticking up their heads with big smiles on their faces, _"This is enjoyable!"_ Pikachu chirped.

_"Very comfy!" _Axew added.

"I'm glad you like it guys," said Ash, "I can't believe we get a discount for having electric-type Pokémon!"

Tesla chuckled, "Or it was me pulling a few strings. I have some special perks you know, and I only use them for good friends like you."

Ash, Cilan, and Iris lay down on the beds, they sank into them in seconds, "It feels like I'm in a cloud of marshmallows." said Cilan.

"You can say that again," said Ash.

Tesla turned to Ash and said, "So how are things, Ash, you up to something?"

"Indeed I am," Ash said with a smirk, "I just won all eight gym badges in the Unova region and I'm gonna participate for the Unova League!"

_"Heck yeah!"_ Pikachu chirped.

A tiny part of Tesla's heart became unsettled, upset even. It caught him off-guard, like being pinned in by the high beams of a freight truck. The old Pikachu suppressed it with a smile. It felt wrong.

"Congratulations, Ash," he managed to say.

"Thank you, Tesla."

Cilan sat up and said, "It's been a while since we've last seen you," he said, "I have to say, you do look different. I don't know what it is though."

"You look like you lost weight," said Iris, "I could see a little bit of your ribs."

Tesla raised an eyebrow, "Huh?"

Axew crawled up to Tesla and grabbed a hold of one of his love handles. It wasn't much, nothing but a lot of fur with little meat on it, _"Yup," _said Axew, _"Not much to find here."_

Tesla shot a look at him, "Cut it out, Axew."

The old Pikachu lay back down and sighed, "I'm going to enjoy this place, I think I'm going to sleep all night and wake up bursting with energy in the morning."

"You were sleeping when we found you." said Ash.

"Well, Volta and I had nothing to do so why not nap for a few hours?"

Volta sat up and shook Tesla's arm, _"Can we go to the pool?"_

Tesla's eyes flashed open, _"The what?" _he asked in his Pokémon speech.

_"The pool," _insisted Volta, _"__You said we can go to the pool!"_

_ I said that? _Tesla thought.

The old Pikachu stared at Volta for a moment, _"__The pool?" _he asked again.

The looks on Pikachu's and Axew's faces changed, they let out smiles and giggled.

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

Tesla sighed, "Volta wants to go to the hotel's swimming pool. The only problem is: I dread the water, especially when I can't feel the bottom."

"Let's go to the pool guys," insisted Iris, "It would be a lot of fun."

_"Let's go to the pool!" _Axew chirped.

He wasn't even settled in for five minutes and everybody now wants to go to the pool. Tesla hated the water. He recalled several times in his past, before and during his Westinghouse Days, where he would get into the water with an endless bottom. Tesla would thrash his arms, struggling to stay afloat, and there were a few occasions where he almost drowned.

_Oh damn, _he thought, _Cut off my tail and __skin me__ if you want! __B__ut please, don't chuck me into a swimming pool!_

Tesla plowed his face into the pillow and groaned, "I hate swimming pools!"

**. . .**

And he was about to hate them even more.

The Red Rock Hotel's swimming pool was massive. 50 meters long, 25 meters wide. All corners were smoothed out into a curve, like the structure of the hotel. There were other people and small Pokémon swimming around, enjoying their time. Pikachu got on an inflatable tube and floated around, while Axew play around on a water board. Oshawott floated by on his back, singing a tune to himself as he drifted off to La La Land. Snivy, as always, sat in one of the pool's folding chairs, looking on at her friends, showing little interest.

Though she never had swim before in her life, Volta flowed through the water like a fish. She sang a soft tune, drifting from one end to the other. She made laps around the pool, then around various Pokémon. Tesla was impressed, she didn't even need to use floaters. She kept on swimming with such energy that it gave Tesla a ping of jealousy, as he was the one who can't swim.

_I hate my life, _Tesla thought, but didn't say.

Stuck over his biceps were sky-blue kiddie floaters with pictures of an Oshawott on them, he was getting sick and tired of the clown-faced Pokémon's damn awful smile. He wondered if that Pokémon he defeated earlier that morning had really died and had been reincarnated into the floaters, trying to burn a stake into his brain as an act of revenge. Tesla sighed, this was going to suck.

"You okay, Tesla?" Ash asked as he walked up in his red swimming trunks.

"I feel like an idiot," said Tesla, "All those Pokémon are swimming, yet I can't keep my nose above the water."

"You got those floaters on."

Tesla shot Ash a look, "Easy for you to say, I bet they'll slip right out if I hold my arms perpendicular to the waterline!"

"They'll stay on," insisted Ash, "If they don't, we'll get you out of there in a moment's flash."

The old Pikachu just rolled his eyes, then spoke in a sarcastic Pokémon speech tone so loud that everyone could hear it, _"Well, I'm going to go kill myself! See you all in the Agartha!"_

Tesla approached the three diving boards that tower over the pool. They were built out of reinforced aluminum and solid concrete, sturdy enough to endure constant bombardment of water. The lowest one goes just 5 meters high, the highest, 15. Tesla had been on diving boards before, and they always end up the same. Face first, or belly first. Ouch.

Pignite stood by and watched as Tesla approached the tallest diving board, he turned to the Fire Pig Pokémon and said, _"Do me a favor: __If I don't make it, cremate my body and mail my ashes to Faraday City__."_

Ash's Pignite just looked at him for a moment, like he was crazy or something. Then sheepishly nodded, _"Sure, Tes."_

Tesla started up the latter, the aluminum steps were moist and cold to the touch. About mid-way, he felt the feeling in his chest again, this time it burned worse than before. The old Pikachu gulped and rubbed it. Why would it come back now?

When he reached the top, he looked back down at Pignite. What was 15 meters looked like 30. The Fire Pig Pokémon simply gave him a wave and Tesla waved back, "Good thing I used the bathroom before this," the Mouse Pokémon thought aloud in human speech.

The floaters and urinals weren't good enough. Tesla soon realized this when he stepped to the edge of the diving board. Below him was a 7 meter deep pool with more than six-thousand liters of water. Oh boy, that was a lot of liters. A lot of diving room but there was no hope of standing on the bottom. He looked out across the pool and saw that people were watching, including their Pokémon. Tesla wondered if some of them knew him personally, about his hydrophobia. If so, then they're going to watch it play out before them. Tesla readjusted the offensive floaters and crouched, "I feel like I'm going to be sick." he muttered to himself.

_"Tesla, you going?"_

Tesla turned around and saw Ash's Scraggy behind him, the Shedding Pokémon had his pelt pulled up to his chest and his eyes set to full-blown Leer mode. The old Pikachu held up his hands, "Scraggy," he nervously say, "What are you doing?"

_"Come on, Tesla," _he said, _"Move!"_

The old Pikachu gulped, he had little options. Scraggy stood in the way of the ladder, and the other way was much easier. Tesla called out below in his Pokémon speech, _"Pignite, you better get your buddy up here. He's getting that itchy feeling in his head again!"_

All Tesla got from Pignite was a pig snort, followed by a laugh.

The Scraggy stepped forward, Tesla stepped back until his heel touched the edge of the diving board. He was only one step away from a long fall.

"Look, Scraggy," he said, "I'm sure we have no hard feelings back on Faraday Island, right?"

Scraggy said nothing, he just stood there, his eyes still glaring with Leer.

_"Damn it." _Tesla swore in Pokémon speech.

The Shedding Pokémon leaned back for a head-butt, the old Pikachu dodged it with quick reflexes but lost his balance. He tumbled off the diving board, he managed to catch himself in time by grabbing onto the edge. He dangled over the water, like a worm on a fishing hook, _"Oh, sh*t," _Tesla cried, _"Why did I even come up on this f*cking diving board!"_

**. . .**

"Pika Pika Pika Pikachu," cried Tesla in Pokémon speech, "Pika Pika Pikachu Chuuu!"

"What is he saying?" Cilan asked as Ash looked on.

"I have no idea," said Ash, "I had that same problem with my Pikachu when we first met, I didn't understand what he was saying."

Though the other Pokémon did, all but Snivy and Volta had big eyes. They looked at each other in embarrassment, then turned back to Tesla as he continued his plea for help.

**. . .**

_"How about this," _Tesla pleaded, _"You help me up, and we'll come down the ladder like nothing even happened. I'll go get you a Pumpkin Spice Cocoa at the hotel's cafe. It's in the back, you see. Just down the hall and take a left, it's very good. __Very tasty, leaves quite a freshly mint."_

_ "Eh," _said Scraggy, _"I'm not feeling that I want one."_

_ "How about this: You help me up, we'll go down, and we'll head to the closest bank. I'll give you a 5% share of my trainer's Faraday City Gym, plus some insurance with H&R Block-"_

Scraggy cut Tesla off by slamming his forehead over one of his fingers. Tesla pulled his hand away at the last minute, the diving board thumped under the heavy blow, _"10% share," _he said, _"I'll give you a 10% share, it worth's a lot of money!"_

The Shedding Pokémon head-butted the edge again, Tesla pulled his hand out in time and screamed, _"How about 15!? 15% share!"_

Another head-butt, then another, and another. Tesla keep shifting around to avoid getting his fingers crushed. His arms were getting tired, and the Oshawott floaters pressing against his face weren't helping much, _"Not interested in the stock-market, are you?"_

_ "Just fall already!" _Scraggy pouted.

"You're suppose to jump, Tesla," Ash called from down below, "Not hang on for dear life!"

Tesla growled, "You're not helping, Ash!"

_"Here I come!" _cried the cheery voice of an Emolga.

Tesla watched in horror as Iris's Emolga glided up to him, she soared straight for him with open arms, getting ready to crash into him, "No no no NO!" the Mouse Pokémon cried.

The old Pikachu hugged the bottom of the diving board. Just as Emolga got close enough, Tesla swat at her with his tail. He managed to land a blow across her face, Tesla watched in amusement as Emolga went tumbling across the air, crash-landing into the water below.

"Whew," Tesla said, "That was a close."

Scraggy's head came down on his fingertips, agitating the arthritis in his hand. Tesla yelped and lost his grip. As he plummet towards the water, he screamed out what he promised himself would be his famous last words, "Mother effing fu-"

He hit the water face-first and went under. The floaters ripped off his arms and bobbed over his head, Tesla held his breath as he struggled to swim for the surface. He wasn't sure he was going anywhere fast, he couldn't feel much movement with each kick.

In the cruelest twist of irony, his jaw dropped as Oshawott came to the rescue. The Sea Otter Pokémon happily soared through his natural environment with Aqua Jet, happily singing his own annoying tune.

Oshawotts. Oshawotts everywhere. First he battled them, second he wore them, and lastly he was about to be _saved _by them?

The old Pikachu screamed in rage as the water muted his voice. Just as Oshawott got near, Tesla ringed his hands around the Sea Otter's neck, ignoring the pain in his fingers as he proceeded to strangle him.

**. . .**

When the sun went down, the streetlights came on. Smugleaf and Wotter weren't used to having their night lit up, they prefer the starlight at their HQ. The outdoor lighting may make it harder to do dead drops, it was like having spotlights shining down on a grand stage.

With this in mind, Smugleaf's boss Nobark had pinpointed a location. It was easy to get to and dark enough to be hidden. Now the only question was who was going to do the dead drop tonight?

_"__I'll go," _said Smugleaf, _"Since I__'m __the one who typed out the report."_

Wotter nodded, _"While you're out there, maybe you can look around for some food."_

_ "We're out of MRE's already?"_

Wotter pulled out a cardboard box, it was grease-stained and had the word RATIONS crudely written in big capital letters on the side. The Discipline Pokémon opened it up and Smugleaf peered inside. Just 3 cans of beets and 4 MRE packets left.

_"I miss the food back at HQ," _said Wotter, _"It tastes a lot better than this sh*t."_

_ "Okay," _said Smugleaf, _"I'll see what I can dig up."_

_ "Don't go digging in the trash, I can't stand food that comes out of the trash."_

Smugleaf left the safehouse and sneaked out around the back of the abandoned apartment complex. She clenched the dead drop spike in her hands. Smugleaf felt nervous carrying it around, if she accidentally dropped the thing it would explode and that would be the end of her. As if her paranoia wasn't that bad, getting caught with it would raise some questions. Though not too many people and Pokémon were aware of the spy game, this message in a pipe-bomb would tip them off as suspicious. The Unova Regional Police would be all over it, and if she was in the nearby area, she would be sent to jail. She already had a warrant out for her arrest, Smugleaf didn't want more added to it.

After crossing several streets and alleyways, Smugleaf reached the drop zone. It was a simple blue dumpster used for recycling paper. Convenient. Paper was clean while anything else could have something sticky, which would cause it to smell. But not paper, no. It doesn't smell, so it won't attract any stray Pokémon looking for a meal, _Unless water got in it and started growing mold, _Smugleaf thought, _Which would then have to be cleaned out, and someone would be bound to find the dead-drop spike._

Smugleaf took the dead-drop spike and got down on her belly. The dumpster was raised up on wheels, and on the bottom was a gap lining the rim. It would hold the dead-drop spike and be out of sight while the local sanitation crews come in to take the paper away. No one would be the wiser.

After making sure the dead-drop was fitted properly, she was done. As she got back to her feet, she heard a low meow coming from behind her. She turned, it was a Meowth, the Cat Scratch Pokémon. The Meowth was digging into a nearby trash can, sorting through scraps of food, looking for a midnight snack.

_There's a lot of Meowths everywhere, _Smugleaf thought, _this was the __seventh__ one I saw this week!_

These Pokémon thrive in human environments, often they band together in groups to raid local restaurants and stores for food. The Meowth packs were often led by a post-evolution Pokémon. Smugleaf wasn't sure what that evolved-form was, all she know it was a much bigger cat that could take her down with one swipe.

This Meowth didn't look like it belonged to any group. Cat Scratch Pokémon that belonged to a group never travels alone unless it was under dire circumstances. This lone stray however, didn't show signs of trauma. It was simply eating comfortably in the garbage. It was clearly on its own. Smugleaf looked around to see if anyone was watching, so far no other pair of eyes were anywhere. She and the Meowth had the alley to themselves.

Good.

Smugleaf pulled out her knife and tapped the Meowth's trash can. It poked its head up, carrying a sandwich in its mouth. The Meowth's eyes looked at her with curiosity, the golden pendant on its head glowed faintly in the dark, reflecting the few rays of light that make it from the streetlamps nearby.

Before the Meowth could speak, Smugleaf whipped out a vine and coiled it around the Meowth's neck. It dropped its sandwich as it tried to scream, but only hissing air came out. It engaged its claws and tried to thrash at Smugleaf, but it couldn't land a blow. Working fast, Smugleaf tightened her vine around the Cat Scratch Pokémon's neck and snapped its neck. The Meowth went limp as it uttered its death moans.

"Good kitty," Smugleaf whispered in human speech, "Why not you join me and Wotter for dinner tonight?"

The Meowth didn't respond, it hanged inert in Smugleaf's vines. Just to be sure it was dead, Smugleaf snapped its neck a 2nd time. She could feel the Meowth's neck brain stem separate with the rest of the body, its head barely attached by muscle tissue.

Smugleaf took the body to a secluded corner of the alley where she cut it open, she and Wotter would be eating good tonight.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __4_

When Tesla got out of the pool, he pulled off his eye-goggles to drain the lens of water. Oshawott came back up next, gasping for air as he rubbed the bruises around his neck.

"You okay, Tesla?" Ash asked.

Tesla said nothing, the old Pikachu simply walked past him and headed towards the showers. Just when Ash was about to follow him, Cilan grabbed his shoulder, "Let him cool off, Ash," he said, "It is unwise to handle a Pokémon that is hot."

Ash nodded, then turned to Oshawott, "You okay, Oshawott?"

"Osha!" the Sea Otter nodded, "Oshawott!"

"Did Tesla try to strangle him?" Iris asked.

"Not intentionally," said Cilan, "I think seeing Oshawott set off a fuse in his mind."

Oshawott went back playing in the swimming pool within seconds. The gang continued their fun for the next two hours, constantly getting in and out of the pool for epic dives and races. Volta had a lot of fun herself, constantly playing Marco Polo and jumping on the other Pokémon's heads. Once she had grabbed Pikachu by the tail while he was relaxing. She pulled down and Pikachu sank through the inflatable tube, Volta swam out of the area before he could figure out who it was.

Throughout the group's fun, Tesla hadn't come back. Ash wondered where the old Pikachu went, he was a bit worried but let it go, he would show up eventually.

After showering off the Chlorine smell in the public restrooms, they dried themselves off and headed back to their room. They found Tesla sleeping on the bed, face down and snuggled underneath the blankets. Nobody was sure how he got in, since he didn't have a key card and the door was locked. Ash decided not to worry about it, Tesla had his ways of getting in.

He wasn't stirring from all the noise the group was making. When Volta jumped on Tesla's head, he just laid inert. She broke into a panic, probably thinking Tesla was dead. Cilan checked Tesla's pulse and told everyone he was okay, much to the relief of Volta.

After Cilan, Ash, and Iris got dressed into their pajamas, Tesla finally woke up. He simply sat up, looked around, then yawned, "You okay, Tesla?" Ash asked again.

Tesla blinked with tired eyes, then said, "I had a dream where a Scraggy chucked me off a diving board and an Oshawott tried to drown me, and then the water turned into chocolate milk."

Before Ash could say anything else, Tesla flopped on his back and went back snoring.

"He's very tired." said Iris.

"Ew Axew." Axew added.

Volta jumped on the bed and snuggled next to Tesla, the old Pikachu unconsciously pulled the Pichu to his chest and cuddled her. Ash pulled the comforter up to Tesla's neck and rubbed the Pikachu's ears, they twitched as his fingers stroked them.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu cooed as he watched.

Ash stretched his arms and yawned, "Yup," he said, "It's time for bed guys, we have a long day tomorrow."

**. . .**

Smugleaf was a natural at cooking, a skill she learned during her captivity days. She went up to the roof of the abandoned apartment complex and set up a makeshift grill. She put a cooking pot on top of a cinder-block and then started a small fire in it. When the fire was burning properly, she put a metal trash can lid upside-down, serving as a makeshift frying pan. She hacked the Meowth to smaller segments with her knife and cooked it separately. Smugleaf got every piece she could harvest from the corpse and cooked as much as she can. Her mouth watered as the meat sizzled on the trash can lid, it looked pretty much done after half an hour of cooking.

When she served the trash can lid of Meowth meat back in the safehouse, the waiting Discipline Pokémon gave her his gratitude, _"__Wow,"_ he said as he bit into the Meowth meat, _"This is the best cat meat I ha__ve__ ever tasted, you sure know how to cook, __Smugleaf__."_

_ "That I do," _said Smugleaf, _"Get enough of it in your gut, __and __we don't have __to worry about preserving leftovers."_

They devoured the Meowth meat with a big appetite. Smugleaf and Wotter ate most of the muscles off the limbs and some of the organs. The Grass Snake Pokémon gouged out the eyes and ate them too, she said they stated similar to deviled olives. Their bellies were full within minutes. Wotter lay down on his worn-out mattress, he sat a hand on his belly and let out a burp.

_"Excuse you," _said Smugleaf, _"I thought you were the Discipline Pokémon."_

_ "That's more of a name than anything else." _Wotter muttered.

_"Okay then."_

Both PRA operatives gathered the leftovers and kept them by their beds. If they were lucky, they won't be feeling hungry for days.

**. . .**

Tesla was having anything but sleep.

He found himself waking up in the middle of the night. Tesla rubbed his chest, sadness raked its ugly claws against his heart like it was a scratching post. The old Pikachu took a deep breath and ran his hand across his ear. For some reason he felt like he wasn't getting enough air into his lungs. To come to think of it, he was having trouble breathing on some night since Dixie.

_It was a massacre, _Tesla thought, _a__ bloody massacre._

Tesla remembered himself standing in the middle of the poacher's camp, his fellow Dixierats swarming in from all directions. They charged with a battle cry, unleashing all their electricity they have in their bodies. Gunpowder filled the air as guns blazed. Multiple Dixierats were executed, but they kept coming, and coming, and coming...

The thunderstorm above them that day played a role. Tesla mustered up his mighty electric powers and supercharged it, purple lightning descended from all directions, electrocuting every poacher standing nearby. Mark Kissinger and Andy Westinghouse sat at the sidelines and watched him and the Dixierats conquer the camp.

When the battle was done and over with, the Dixierats tend to their dead. There were few Pichus, Pikachus, and Raichus showing remorse, overall the Dixierats weren't too upset. They picked up their dead relatives and took them back to their communities, where they strip off their hides and cook them for dinner. The hides themselves either became insulation for their burrows or were used as blankets and floor mats. It was a taboo that Tesla understood fully, but one thing struck him hard. The Dixierats, his own family, were no different from the poachers.

_They've become what they feared, _Tesla thought.

"Okay, look," said Doc, "We're going to go back to my house and we're going to breathe not a _word _about this. All we tell Ash and his friends that the poachers were gone, that's all they need to know."

"Agreed," said Mark, "They're too young to understand anyway."

Ash's Pikachu was trapped with several Dixierats during the assault, locked in a cage with little elbow room to spare. Tesla's own son protected him for the most part, covering his eyes and ears as the destruction rain down around him. He was spared from being scarred for life.

Tesla turned and found Volta sleeping peacefully beside him. He smiled and stroked her head, her fur was warm and soft to the touch. When she was an egg, her mother was killed in a poacher attack and the father was in no shape to raise her. He was planning to take her along anyway, a part of Tesla was honestly sure the father was dead as well until he finally showed up after the poacher problem was resolved. His smile faded as he stared up at the ceiling, listening to the faint hum of the air conditioner.

Tesla licked his lips, his tongue was dry. He wanted a drink, and not just any drink, some strong liquor. He hadn't had a beer in weeks, but he couldn't bare the thought of drinking while under the responsibility of a child.

_I can't drink, _he thought, _the last time was the last time._

The old Pikachu yawned and closed his eyes. Axew's and Pikachu's snores sounded so relaxing that it helped distract Tesla's thinking. Within moments, he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

**. . .**

Volta woke everyone up by jumping on their heads, they all stirred and laughed when they heard her giggle. Iris laughed and tried to catch her, but she was too fast. She went right through her big air and popped out, then bounced on Cilan's head before leaping up on Pikachu. They tried to catch her but missed, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon giggled and cheered as she vaulted from bed to bed, "She's so happy!" exclaimed Cilan.

Just when Volta was about to hop on Ash's head, he shot up a hand and caught her mid-air, "Gotcha!" Ash laughed.

"Pichu Pichu!" Volta giggled.

Without warning, she flashed bright yellow. Ash jerked as electricity ran through his body, he let go of Volta and screamed.

Tesla shot out of bed with big eyes, "What happened!?"

"Ugh, nothing." Ash moaned, he flexed his hand and sat up, "Ow."

Volta gaped, horrified at what she'd just done, "Piii!"

She rushed up to Ash and hugged him, breaking down into tears, "Pichu! Pichu! Pichu!"

"She's saying sorry, Ash." said Tesla.

Ash picked her up and cradled her, "There there," he said, "It's alright, I'm okay."

Volta went as far by kissing Ash's hand, then rubbing it. Iris and Cilan couldn't help but laugh, "She is quite polite," said Cilan, "Volta has the right ingredients to make a good Pokémon."

"Pichu!" Volta beamed.

Ash handed Volta back to Tesla, "There there, Volt," the old Pikachu said, "Today, we're going to see how much punch you have. If you want to win the Faraday Power Tournament, then you'll have to pay close attention," Tesla held a finger up in the air, "But first, we'll go eat breakfast. We can't train with an empty stomach."

Everyone went downstairs into the breakfast room, a counter lined with waffle makers were on and ready. The batter for them was poured in small cups, lined up in a square formation. According to the sign above the waffle-makers, they were self-served and had a list of instructions on how to operate. Already someone failed to read the sign and had burned a waffle, the guy with the orange shirt and tan shorts picked at a deform waffle in one of the waffle-makers with a fork. He looked around nervously to see if anyone was watching, then pulled out the burned waffle and chucked it into the nearby trash can. He walked away whistling like nothing even happened.

Near the waffle-makers was a rack of cereal cups, next to the rack was a refrigerator loaded with cartons of factory-made and soy milk. A cup of spoons sat nearby, ready for digging into cereal. For some reason, there were shakers of sprinkles, peanuts, and chocolate chips nearby. Maybe they were for the cereal, Ash wasn't sure. He hadn't seen that displayed in a hotel before.

The vast breakfast room was mostly empty in the moment. Good, it wasn't too busy. The gang easily found a table and went out to get breakfast.

Ash called out his usual array of Pokémon: Oshawott, Scraggy, Pignite, and Snivy. They all sat at the table as Cilan loaded their bowls with Pokémon food. Oshawott, Scraggy, and Pignite happily dug in while Snivy took her time eating. As always, Tesla always preferred people food. Ash watched as he approached the cereal counter and stared at it, he almost swore he saw steam coming out of the old Pikachu's ears.

_Maybe I should help him. _Ash thought.

He walked up to Tesla and asked, "You need any help?"

Tesla cooled down and looked up at Ash, "The strawberry flakes and a carton of soy milk, I would get it myself but it would be rude to stand on the counters."

Ash forgotten how civil Tesla was, so far he hadn't swore under his breath for any minor flukes today, "Okay, how about Volta?"

"Get her a big waffle and a carton of whole milk, she'll be needing it for today."

"Shouldn't she be eating Pokémon food?"

_Oops, _Ash thought, _t__hat slipped out._

Luckily for him, Tesla simply shrugged rather than throw a fit, "She wouldn't get near it, not even consider it. Don't ask me why, it's something she inherited from the Dixierats, who probably inherited from me."

The old Pikachu walked back to the table and sat patiently next to Volta. Someone had gotten her a booster seat to raise her up to the table. She and Tesla talked, the conversation was odd since Ash could only understand Tesla's part.

Ash first made Volta her waffle, after reading the instructions he opened up the waffle-maker and poured the batter in. Then closed it and flipped it around. After 2 minutes the waffle-maker beeped. Ash opened it up and found a pristine waffle underneath, _I gotta get one of these for my house. _He thought.

When everyone had their breakfast food ready, they all sat down at the table. Ash watched as Volta attacked her waffle with a remarkable appetite, while Tesla merely nibbled on his cereal. The other Pokémon simply dug into their Pokémon food as usual. Ash sat across from Tesla and started cutting into his waffle, after a moment of silence Cilan brought up, "You sure she's ready for a battle, Tesla? She's not even that old."

"I wasn't even ready for my first," said Tesla, "But I battled anyway. My trainer started his Pokémon off easy, before they know it they got the concept all figured out within a week."

"Can she defend herself?" Iris asked.

"Axew?" Axew added.

Tesla thought for a moment, "I don't know the answer to that."

Everyone let out a groan.

Tesla scooped up a spoonful of cereal and stuck it in his mouth, he swallowed and sat the spoon in the plastic bowl, "When I was a Pichu growing up in Viridian Forest, I was walking down in a dry creek bed by myself. I was looking shiny gems, cause they look quite pretty. As I was rooting along the creek bed, I heard commotion coming from above. Naturally curious, I went to investigate. What I found was a Raichu and three other Pikachus beating the sense out of a tiny Pichu, I recognized the Pichu: He was my baby brother."

Ash gasped, "No way."

"Pikachu," added Pikachu.

Tesla folded his hands, "You've got to understand I was just an ordinary Pichu, like your average wild Pokémon. I knew I would get clobbered if I try to intervene, not to mention I was overwhelmed and underpowered. The Raichu is the fully-evolved form of the Mouse Pokémon, and they are more aggressive and stronger than their pre-evolution counterparts. Back then the Raichu looked like a giant. As far as I could tell, his followers just stand by and watch him do the beating himself. They didn't give much reaction, but the Raichu himself was clearly enjoying it.

"When they were done and left, I climbed out of hiding and went to the aid of my brother. He was beaten bad, but he was alive and conscious. I sat down next to him and asked him what had happened, 'I wondered into their territory,' he told me, 'and I paid the price.'

"'We can't let them get away with that,' I said, 'Is there any way we could get back against them?'

"Now my brother was quite smart, and resourceful, maybe one of the reason why the Raichu beat him. I think they were part of a pack that don't like nerds. Whatever the reason, he had a plan to get back at them, and he told me his plan, 'Find a neodium magnet,' he said, 'They look like pegs of metal, but with a powerful magnetic field. It messes electric-types up.'

"'What do I need a neo_di_um magnet for?' I asked.

"'Lob it at the Raichu and let it do all the work.'

"Now these neodymium magnets are the most powerful physical magnets made by man. They're so powerful that they can hold your weight. That night, I recalled a store that was selling neodymium magnets. So later that night, I broke into the store to find these powerful magnets. Little do I know, being an electric-type myself, I was also vulnerable to its field."

"What happened?" Ash asked.

"I found the magnet in question, displayed right on the counter. When I got near it," Tesla paused, as if trying to recall what had happened, "I felt my brain, metaphorically speaking, tearing itself apart. My cheeks screamed with pain as the world turned purple. I couldn't remember what happened next, all I remember next was walking out of the store with the magnet, stumbling like a zombie."

Tesla looked up at the ceiling and said, "I couldn't sleep that night, I felt strange. The world felt strange," he turned back to Ash, "I remember looking at my hands, flexing my tiny fingerless palms, swearing I saw tiny sparks coming out of them."

The old Pikachu held up his hands, a bright purple sparked arched across his palms. It gave off a loud pop, followed by a puff of ozone. Ash blinked as spots started floating across his eyes, "Whatever had happened, I think I've stumbled across some special electric powers, which I fully realize when I evolved into a Pikachu."

"What happened to the Raichu?" Cilan asked.

"Sleep deprived and my head swimming, I carried the neodymium magnet to the Raichu's burrow and chucked it in. I saw it smashed into his face and knocking him out, I didn't stick around to watch what happened next," Tesla sat back and nodded, "That was the last time me and my family had any problems with a rival pack."

Ash noticed Volta was done with her waffle, she was sitting patiently with a soft smile on her face, waiting for everyone to finish their breakfast.

"The one thing I've learned that day was if I have a challenger who's more powerful than me, draw a wild card to turn things around. That lesson helped me a lot in my Westinghouse days."

"Pichu Pichu?" Volta asked Tesla.

"Oh, of course," the old Pikachu turned to Ash, "You know of any training grounds nearby?"

**. . .**

The training yard was well suited for the group's purposes. It had an obstacle course, punching bags, pull-up bars, even a quarter kilometer running track. The most important feature was its Pokémon battle court. The court was medium-sized, poured with red-colored concrete and painted with white lines. It was more than perfect, it was gorgeous.

Though it was a bit of a walk to reach the training court, it wasn't that far away from the Red Rock Hotel. When the gang arrived, they explored every part of the park, looking at each feature with stunning amazement. Once they were done, they meet up at the battle court where Tesla gave Volta a quick run up, "You're going to be facing against an opponent," said Tesla, "When you enter a Pokémon battle, the goal is to defeat your opponent before he or she defeats you. Basically you gotta beat the crud out of them till they can't get back up. Got it?"

Volta nodded, _"Got it."_

"Your opponent may be someone you like or someone you don't like," said Tesla, "You must _not _hesitate to battle them. These battles aren't for quarrels, normally they would have nothing against you. You're going to get beaten up a lot, and I'm not going to lie to you, it _will _hurt. You got that?"

_"Yes!" _said Volta.

Tesla grabbed her by the shoulders, "Volta, I love you so much and you may be the best loved one I ever had. But before we start, I gotta ask: Why do you want to battle in the Faraday Power Tournament? Speak truthfully."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon thought for a moment, then gave him an answer, _"__I wanna be like you, because I know you won't be here forever."_

Tesla felt his heart dropped, he never thought he would hear that from a baby Pokémon like Volta. They wouldn't understand, not at this age, of why some loved ones would never come home. But Volta does, or understood some parts of it. But how did she know? Was it from his drinking last week, or the dilemma in Dixie? Whatever the reason, he didn't wanna find out.

_"What's wrong," _Volta asked worriedly, _"Did I hurt your feelings? Oh please don't tell me I hurt your feelings!"_

"No, you didn't," said Tesla, "You're right. I've been taking care of you for weeks now and I've forgotten to teach you how to defend yourself. It's been a while since I handled such responsibility."

The old Pikachu turned to Ash, "Choose a Pokémon, Ash, preferably your youngest."

"That would be Scraggy," said Ash, he pulled out a Poké ball and tossed it, "Okay, Scraggy. Come on out!"

A bright ray appeared and materialized into a Scraggy, the Shedding Pokémon stood before Tesla and Volta, all amped up and ready for battle."

_"__Hello," _Scraggy muttered.

Tesla turned back to Volta, "Before we get started on you, I want you to see how I've battle. I've been trained by a Pokémom Master after all."

_"Isn't that the same Pokémon Master who ran off in the night in his Pikachu boxers?"_

Tesla snickered, "Yes, that one."

_I shouldn't have told her that village well story, _Tesla thought.

Volta stepped back as Tesla stepped up, "You're ready, Ash?"

The look on Ash's face showed a hint of uncertainty, "Uh, yeah. I'm ready!"

_"Ready!" _said Scraggy.

"Don't worry," said Tesla, "I'm going to go easy on Scraggy, it will just be a couple of moves then I'll let Volta take over."

"Okay." said Ash.

"Do we need a referee for this?" Iris asked.

_"__Do we?" _Axew added.

"No," said Tesla, "Not yet."

Cilan sighed and sat back down at the bench, "If I may, can I ask what you're planning to do Tesla?"

"Give Volta a sense of Pokémon battling," said Tesla, "This is training after all."

Tesla got into position and Scraggy got ready, everyone looked on and watched as Ash made the first move, "Scraggy," he commanded, "Hi-jump kick."

Scraggy jumped into the air, he jut foot, it glowed bright white as he came down like a missile. Tesla gave him no time to react, he dodged Scraggy's move without any warning and Scraggy hit the court hard. When the dust cleared, he laid on the ground. Yelping like a dog as he clutched his battered leg.

Tesla's tail instantly glowed white, then a bright silver.

"It's Iron Tail!" cried Iris.

Volta sat there, amazed at Tesla's shining tail.

"Dodge it, Scraggy!" Ash cried.

Scraggy saw it coming, he shot up on his feet and dodged it...

...only to find Tesla didn't make his move.

The Shedding Pokémon looked up, his eyes sunk into his head as Tesla's Iron Tail came down and slammed into his neck.

Ash gasped, "Scraggy, no!"

Scraggy flopped hard on the court, rolled back once, before coming to park. The Shedding Pokémon was shaking badly, whimpering under his breath.

"That did a lot of damage!" cried Iris.

_"Oh no," _cried Axew, _"Scraggy!"_

"Scraggy," cried Ash, "Get up."

_"Get up!" _cried Pikachu.

_"I will," _he whimpered.

Scraggy got back up and turned to face Tesla, the Mouse Pokémon gave him a deep glare. The Shedding Pokémon gasped and almost stripped, _"Please don't hurt me!" _he pleaded.

_"What do you mean by hurt?" _Tesla asked.

Before Scraggy could reply, he let out a yelp. He grabbed his shoulder as he cocked his neck, his whimpering grew louder.

"He's hurt!" cried Iris.

"How did your Iron Tail do a lot damage, Tes?" Ash asked.

_"How, Tesla?" _his Pikachu asked.

"Pressure points," said Tesla, "I broke a lot of bones trying to learn them."

Tesla turned to Volta, she covered her hands with her mouth, "Okay, Volta," he said, "He's all yours, come over here."

Volta hobbled up to Tesla, _"What do I need to do?" _she asked.

"First," he said, "Face, Scraggy."

She spun around and faced him, Scraggy could barely hold himself up. He had a hand on his leg and another on his neck, but he showed some resistance left.

"Let's see you do Thundershock," said Tesla, "Give it all you got."

Volta nodded, _"Okay."_

Her cheeks sparked as she tapped into her own energy reserves, "PICHU!"

Bright sparks of electricity arched from her body and ground into Scraggy, he let out a mournful scream as the Thundershock dug into every nerve in his body. Everyone watched in amazement, Volta's Thundershock was promising, but something was wrong.

The Thundershock suddenly ceased and Volta collapsed, her eyes spinning in spirals. Scraggy stood there for a minute before dropping on his knees, he too was unable to able.

"Looks like it's a draw." said Iris.

Tesla rushed up to Volta and picked her up, "Vee," he asked calmly, "Are you alright?"

Volta blinked and smiled, _"Pretty lights," _she said.

"I guess I picked the wrong time to come here," said a voice.

Tesla looked up, standing near the edge of the court was a kid wearing a brown t-shirt, sky blue shorts, and a pair of sandals. A pair of spectacles adorned his face, the kid pushed them back up and ran a hand through his black hair as he approached, "Hello, Tesla."

The old Pikachu casually replied, "Hello, Cabot."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __5_

Cabot Richardson stood before the gang, he and Tesla looked into each other's eyes almost as if they were old rivals. The old Pikachu stared at him with a cold gaze, while Cabot seemed weary of him, "I never thought I would find you here," he said.

Tesla shrugged, "Neither do I. But hey, stuff happens."

"Who's he, Tesla?" Cilan asked.

"You know him?" Iris asked as well.

"Yeah," said Tesla, "I do, he's Cabot Richardson. I have to battle his Darmanitan in order to get an official pardon from the Faraday Island Government. Had he'd beaten me, I've would've gotten the chair."

"What do you mean by chair?" Cilan asked.

Tesla turned to him, "Means that if he'd beaten me, I get executed. Instead, I got a punctured lung, lost a lot of blood, and was out for a week. But I lived, thanks to Faraday City's special doctors."

"I'm sorry, Tesla," said Cabot, "For what happened in all."

"Not your fault, I wouldn't have blamed you if you did send me to death row. I might as well asked you to kill me on the spot."

Cabot raised an eyebrow, "So you don't care what the turnout was?"

Everyone looked at each other with confusing glances, even Volta looked confused, "Cabot," said Tesla, "Once you've get around my age, you have to consider when you're time is up. I'm a hundred and seven years old for f*ck's sake, I've watched a lot of friends-"

"Tesla," interrupted Ash, "We know, we all know. You can let it go."

The old Pikachu glanced at Ash for moment, then turned back to Cabot and changed the subject, "So you've heard about the Faraday Power Tournament in town, right?"

"Sure am," said Cabot, "I've already entered three days ago, I was just going to train my Pokémon when I saw you and your friends."

_"Tesla," _Volta asked, _"Who's he?"_

Cabot's eyes lit up, "A Pichu, wow! I never thought I would see one, is she related to you?"

"Great-great granddaughter," said Tesla, "She's only a few weeks old."

"She's cute."

"Believe it or not," said Tesla, "I've pulled a few strings and got her enrolled into the Faraday Power Tournament, I'm going to be her trainer."

"I've just saw your name on the participants' board, I couldn't believe it myself until," Cabot drifted off, then said, "I thought you had retired."

"I'm calling the shots this time, Cabot, not executing them."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"By the way," said Tesla, "This Pichu's name is Volta Westinghouse. She wanted to participate, not me, so I'm doing this for her."

"There's something different about you, Tesla," said Cabot, "You look thinner than I've remembered."

Tesla shrugged, "Everybody's been saying that, I simply had a bad moment not too long ago. I don't wanna talk about it, because I've got more pressing issues to handle."

Cabot nodded, then turned to Ash, "You must be Ash Ketchum, right? We haven't actually met but . . . you were the one who picked up Tesla when he started coughing out blood. Right?"

"Yes," said Ash, "I helped got him to the Pokémon Center, or Pokémon Hospital as they called it in Faraday Island."

Cabot shook his hand, "Thank you for helping me sleep that night, I would've never forgive myself if I hadn't."

Iris and Cilan stepped up, "We're his friends," said Iris, "I'm Iris, and this is my buddy Axew!"

_"Hello," _said Axew.

"And my name's Cilan," said Cilan, "Leader of the Straton City Gym."

"Your brother's name is Cress, right?" Cabot asked.

"Yes, why?"

"I've done some work with him last week, he helped us locate some water-types near my hometown."

"Cool!"

"Excuse me, Cabot," said Ash, "Is there any more openings for the Faraday Power Tournament, me and Pikachu want to enroll!"

_"We do!" _chirped Pikachu.

"Sorry, Ash," said Cabot, "Registration's closed, you've missed it."

Ash's face dropped, "Aw, and I wanted to battle!"

"Pika!" Pikachu whined.

"You can still attend to see it though," said Cabot, "or even watch it on the local channel."

"Thanks, Cabot," said Ash, "I'll check it out."

**. . .**

Just across the street, Wotter and Smugleaf hid in the shadows, watching them through binoculars. They both nibbled on jerky that was made from last night's meal. Both Pokémon were feeling good today, they hadn't felt a single ping of hunger since waking up. They both tried to keep it that way by snacking off some jerky, and so far it was working. Smugleaf grabbed another bit of fried bone marrow from their jerky bag and sucked on it. She passed the binoculars to Wotter, then sat back in their hiding place, _"So the Mice Pokémon has friends," _she said, _"This would be interesting."_

_ "Chaos would rain if they discover us," _warned Wotter, _"It's more than interesting, it's a f*cking caution sign!"_

Smugleaf chuckled, _"Well, well, Mr. Discipline Pokémon, tell me something I don't know."_

_ "Without mucus, your stomach will digest itself."_

Smugleaf glared at him, _"How do you know that?"_

_ "Nobark blurted it out at random last month, I think it was one of his intellectual personalities at it again."_

Wotter sat down the binoculars and turned to Smugleaf, _"You think they would be good recruits?"_

_ "The Mice Pokémon?"_

_ "Yeah."_

_ "They don't look like they're in the mood to take up a cause, they're more interested in their own personal ambition than anything else."_

Smugleaf rolled her eyes and laid on her back, _"They must be interested in that Faraday Power Tournament, __which explains why everyone down there is apparently trying to teach the little Pichu."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon reached for another slice of jerky, Wotter grabbed the bag and pulled it away, _"You look so fat lying down, you know that?"_

_ "Why you care?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"I don't, I'm just noti__cing __it."_

Smugleaf stood up and looked at him in the eye, _"Sure you do," _she said sarcastically, _"That's not what I found when you laid your hand on me."_

Wotter snarled, _"Don't bring that up again!"_

_"I won't," _said Smugleaf, _"But one thing's clear. You're a little steamed, a bit depressed. Mr. Discipline Pokémon needs to fill a little hole in his heart, maybe for a while."_

Wotter shook his head and turned back towards the Pokémon training area, _"They're leaving now, heading off to somewhere."_

Smugleaf sat next to Wotter and looked on. The kids and the Mice Pokémon were walking down the street, heading back towards the Red Rock Hotel. The Snivy noticed that the Pikachu carried the Pichu close to his chest, holding it a little too tight. Smugleaf grinned and said, _"See that Pikachu down there, he clearly has someone to fill his heart."_

_ "That's a different kind of feeling, Smugleaf," _said Wotter.

_"That's the feeling I'm talking about, we all know what it truly feels like," _Smugleaf turned to Wotter, _"Do you want to have that feeling again?"_

The Dewott glared at Smugleaf with fiery eyes, _"F*ck you, Smugleaf." _he scoffed as he turned around and walked away.

_I'll take that as a yes. _Smugleaf thought, she picked up the jerky bag and followed Wotter back to the safehouse.

**. . .**

The gang was back at the Red Rock Hotel, they were at the lobby watching Tesla fix Scraggy's shoulder, "Hold still," he said, "This will be quick."

_"Okay." _said Scraggy.

Tesla placed a stick underneath Scraggy's elbow and braced himself, "3, 2, 1."

_Crack!_

The Shedding Pokémon let out a yelp as Tesla pulled the stick up into his armpit, Scraggy couldn't help but awe, _"That is better."_

Tesla patted Scraggy on the head, "There we go, all fixed."

"What was wrong with him?" Ash asked.

_"What is wrong with him?" _Pikachu repeated.

"I've dislocated his shoulder," said Tesla, "I've just popped it back into place."

Scraggy shook Tesla's hand, _"Thank you, Tesla."_

"My pleasure."

The Shedding Pokémon leaned back and tried to headbutt him. Tesla dodged, sending Scraggy stumbling forward and collapsing on the ground.

"That never get's old." said Tesla.

Volta rushed up to Scraggy and hugged him, _"Scraggy," _she asked, _"Are you okay, did I hurt you!? I'm sorry I hurt you!"_

_ "I'm fine, Volta." _said Scraggy.

As Volta hugged Scraggy, Iris awed, "Look, Axew," she said, "Volta is concerned if Scraggy's alright."

_"That's so adorable!" _says Axew.

Tesla sat down at one of the lobby's couches, when everyone got a seat he simply said, "The Thundershock drained her back there, Volta will need to work on that so she won't pass out in battle."

"I've seen this before," said Ash, "She would eventually learn to control her own electricity before she evolves."

The old Pikachu nodded, "For a Mouse Pokémon to evolve into a Pikachu. For that Pichu must be built up on friendship, love from others. My mother taught me that."

"I can see she did a very good job in raising you," said Cilan, "Despite what happened to you in all."

Tesla nodded, managing a real smiled, "Nobody has commented me about that before, my childhood was the best any Pichu could have . . . until it ended."

The old Pikachu glanced at the TV, it had pictures of clouds and temperature readings over Unova. Tesla sighed as he sat back, "Bitter days."

"Tesla," said Ash, "How are you feeling?"

"Well, Ash, that depends. On my own, I'll sulk and not look at anybody. With Volta, my heart warms but the responsibility of taking care of her dulls it. With you around, Ash, the world just feels right, until someone starts teasing me about my weaknesses. Right now, I'm ready to crawl into bed and sleep for the rest of the day."

"But you don't wanna do that." said Cilan.

"Right, I don't. I've got a Pichu to take care of and I can't afford to be dug in with my problems, that would be a bad influence to pass on to the next generation."

Volta leaped up on Tesla's lap and asked, _"What kind of world do we live in, Tesla?"_

Tesla wrapped an arm around her and answered in Pokémon speech, _"A world that doesn't make a lick of sense."_

_ "I find that hard to believe," _said Ash's Pikachu.

The old Pikachu turned to him, _"You don't wanna believe it, Pikachu."_

Pikachu simply nodded and went silent, he snuggled into Ash's side and stared at the wall. His eyes locked in a blank gaze.

"What did you tell Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Reality," said Tesla. It was half-true, but it was the best answer he could come up with.

**. . .**

Tesla insisted Ash to take Volta shopping for awhile, though she wasn't too happy of leaving him for a few hours she complied when Pikachu offered to carry her. While the rest of the gang was somewhere wandering the city, Tesla head over to the Red Rock Hotel's cyber lounge. He checked out one of the computer terminals and got online. Though he was an old Pikachu, the internet was natural to him. Heck, anything electronic was natural to him. His time in Faraday Island helped familiarize him with computers and appliances, if he was human he might even get a degree in electronics. Of course, Pokémon were second class citizens. They don't go to college.

That doesn't mean they can't learn.

Tesla recalled his trainer's old email address: iwesty . It had been 20 years since his trainer last used it, he wasn't even sure if it was still active. He typed in the password from memory and clicked the log-in button.

_Oh boy._

700 messages in the inbox, 2,356 messages in spam, and zero in the trash bin. Tesla went through the inbox, most of it was junk from old magazine and website subscriptions, nothing of value. The earlier messages, sent some time after Irvin's death, contained a few messages from old friends. Tesla tried to read one message, it was only two messages long:

_Oh my god, I've heard what happened. Are you okay, is Tesla okay?_

An overzealous fan no doubt. It was sent hours after Irvin was first admitted in the hospital. Other messages were from concerned longtime fans and friends. The old Pikachu read through them, some were just as overzealous, the rest simply emotional. Tesla created a new folder and added all the fan-based emails into it, cutting down a quarter of the inbox, then he sent the rest of the junk mail to the trash bin.

Now with an empty inbox, Tesla opened up a message box. He had one friend in mind.

_Dear Matt,_

_ I know it's odd for you to receive this email from our long passed old friend, but it's still here. I just want you to know that I'm still around, still breathing, and my heart still pumping. A lot of things had happened in the past couple of months since I first left Faraday Island. The most important thing is . . . I've found some family members of mine from the old breeding program. I've met my grandchildren and countless number of great-grandchildren. _

_ They're a mess, Matt. The breeders messed them up. My own grandson, Rayovac, looked like a mutant from some unknown dimension. He has schizophrenia, he claims he keeps seeing fireworks. Besides that, he was the best loving lug I have ever met._

_ I even met one of my own children. He was horribly mutilated, missing an eye and a hand. He spent the last 30 years in pain after he and my relatives were free from captivity. You couldn't imagine the look on his face when I gave him my love, he melted like butter. He's frail, Matt, he doesn't look like he could live another year. It makes me sad._

_I've also reunited with Irvin's grandson again, I'm sure you have heard of him sometime ago. If not, it doesn't hurt to give him a call. Andy's still the same old kid I knew from our heyday, he behaves and acts just like Irvin. I even mistaken him as Irvin in one heated moment, they look so similar. He's middle-aged now, his wife left him and took the kids to Arceus-knew-where. He spends his time taking care of my relatives like it was an obsession. Classic Irvin._

_ Now I'm taking care of a latest member of the family. The Pichu's name is Volta, my great-great granddaughter. Hard to believe she gets to spend time with a living ancestor, am I right? I found her when she was an egg, her mother was sadly killed. The father was in no shape to raise her, so he gave her up. I felt guilty in taking her in, even though I've planned to do it since I thought the father was dead as well. Volta reads through me and knows my feelings, my own personal pain. She's worried about me, I cannot lie to her that I am alright because I'm truly not. I'm never am._

_ But I'll live, I always lived. I look forward from hearing from you, I might try to drop a call at your house sometime in the next week. I can't put everything of what happened in this e-mail, I rather have you hear it from my voice. I know you missed it and I missed yours. Sometimes it feels like you're my only best-friend in the world._

_ Your longtime old Pokémon friend,_

_ Tesla Westinghouse._

_ P.S.: I had stumbled into Ash again sometime ago, he says hello._

After rechecking his writing, Tesla clicked the send button and the message disappeared, _Now to hope for the best, _he thought, _I wonder if he'll get it._

"Hm," Tesla thought aloud, "I wonder what Mark's up to."

Only one way to find out.

Tesla recalled that Mark talked about putting sh*t on Youtube. He wondered what kind of nonsense he recorded since he captured his latest Pokémon. The old Pikachu opened up the website and typed "KISSINGER" in the search bar. Several videos came up, sure enough there was a recent one on the top. The video icon showed a Pikachu sitting on a toilet. Tesla clicked on it.

"Damn you, Mark." Tesla swore under his breath.

The video started with Mark placing his Pikachu on the toilet. The toilet had a tiny kiddie seat so the Pikachu wouldn't fall in. The Mouse Pokémon looked down at the toilet, then gave Mark a worried look, _"What's going on?" _she asked.

"You've gotta learn where to use the potty," Mark says off-camera, "You can't just crap on the floor or out in the yard as you used to in Dixie. It is unsanitary and I don't want anyone getting sick."

Tesla watched as his great-granddaughter glanced down at the toilet a second time, then looked up again, _"This feels strange."_

_ "It gets better with prune juice." _said Mark's shiny-sprite Emolga, also off-camera.

_"Easy for you to say."_

_ "It's also less smelly."_

"Pikachu," said Mark, "Just relax, don't make this harder than it is. All you have to do is sit there, loosen your bowels, and sh*t. Then pull down the lever and watch your poo-poo flush away."

_Smart move, Mark. _Tesla thought.

Mark's Pikachu held her head low and sobbed, _"I don't think I can do this!"_

"There there, Pikachu," said Mark, "You're doing well, try peeing, it would help you take a dump more easier."

Among all the things Tesla had seen trainers taught their Pokémon, he had never seen anything so dramatic than training them to go to the bathroom. Mark's Pikachu hunched over and tried pushing, a little water sound indicated that she finally urinated.

"Now we're getting somewhere," said Mark.

Tesla gripped his temples and giggled, even though these were the same people and Pokémon who gave him a hard time he couldn't help but laugh at their sick humor. The Pikachu was feeling she was being tortured, like it was punishment for some wrong-doing she couldn't remember doing. Tesla remembered Irvin teaching him how to use the toilet, it wasn't that difficult for him to figure out. It was a basic concept, so why was his great-granddaughter having trouble grasping it?

_Maybe she prefers squatting, _Tesla thought, _Clearly Mark isn't aware of this. Idiot."_

Eventually Mark's Pikachu pushed just enough. A loud riverboat hum blasted into the toilet, Mark's Pikachu panted as it flowed right out of her system. It took just 30 seconds to take a proper dump, _"Oh my," _she panted, _"Ahh wow."_

_ She was holding it in, _Tesla thought, _she was holding in the whole time._

"You're done?" Mark asked.

Mark's Pikachu simply nodded, then hunched over and collapsed to the floor.

Tesla broke down in laughter, pounding his fist on the table. That was so ridiculous that he could barely hold his own bladder, he quickly shutdown the computer and ran for the bathroom before he himself have an accident.

**. . .**

Ash and his friends went to the store to buy groceries for the fridge. Volta hugged Pikachu for most of the time, he fussed with her a little because she kept biting his head. It wasn't because she was hungry, the gang soon found out that she was teething and needed something to chew on.

"A good chew toy should satisfy all those biting urges," Cilan had said.

They went to a nearby Pokémon store and browsed its wares. Volta eyed everything with curiosity, even trying to reach for random items. Once she jumped up on the shelf to get a hold of a coffee mug, but Ash pulled her away before she could touch it. After a few minutes of searching, the gang found what they were looking for, "Which one do you want, Volta?" Ash asked.

Volta examined the squeaky toys, there were several oval-shaped rubber toys with dull spikes. The only difference were the colors, Volta searched through each color and pointed at a pink one, "You want this one?" Ash asked.

"Pi Pi!" Volta chirped.

Ash reached down and picked it up, then handed it to Volta. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon grabbed it and sunk her teeth into the rubber. The chew toy squeaked. She jumped, a smile stretched across her face, "Pichu!" she cheered.

She started chewing the toy like crazy, squeaking it with each chomp. Everyone laughed as Volta squeaked the toy, she tried to rip it apart with her teeth but the toy held firm. She loved it, she loved it a lot.

"Pi!" Ash's Pikachu lit up.

"What is it Pikachu?" Ash asked.

Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and went scampering down the aisles, Volta leaped out of Ash's arms and followed him. The gang watched as Pikachu approached a shelf full of handkerchief, he pulled a pink one out and showed it to Volta, "Pika Pika Pika!" he said.

Volta gasped, she dropped the toy and reached for the handkerchief. Pikachu helped her tie it around her neck, though it was a little big it fitted her just right. The tiny Mouse Pokémon ran her fingers across the cloth, her eyes growing more big and glazed. She turned to Pikachu and stared at him for a moment before giving him a big hug, "Pichu!" she cried tears of joy.

"Pikachu got Volta a handkerchief!" Iris awed.

"That's a very nice you've done there, Pikachu." said Ash.

Pikachu blushed, "Pika."

When the gang returned to the hotel, they saw Tesla coming out of the public restroom. He was trying his hardest not to smile, "Hey, Tesla," said Ash, "What's so funny?"

"Mark," he said, "He'd been busy, I'll tell you about it later."

Volta rushed over to Tesla and wrapped his arms around him, "Pichu!" she cheered.

Tesla rubbed her head and laughed, "Hey there, girl," he said, "What did you get?"

"Pi!" she tugged at the pink handkerchief around her neck.

"You look so adorable," Tesla rubbed Volta's cheek with his thumb, "I love you, Volta."

Volta giggled as she buried her head in Tesla's chest.

**. . .**

"So they're really going to battle?" Stucky asked.

"Yup," said Cabot, "They're going to battle."

Stucky sipped his coffee and nodded, "This is going to be one interesting experience, a lot of the participants here are Tesla fans after all," then he asked, "Cabot, what is your experience with Tesla when you were battling him directly?"

"His bones are fragile," said Cabot, "he defeated my Darmanitan while bleeding from a punctured lung."

Stucky smiled, "So what did you think of that?"

"I was worried, not initially but . . . later I kinda feel guilty about it. I almost killed him."

Stucky leaned forward, "If you were to have defeated him, then you would've killed him. This Pikachu no longer holds grudges, I'm sure of it. The look in his eyes show that he's too tired to hold rivalries. Anger and hate costs energy, energy he can't keep replenished for long."

"So he doesn't hate me," Cabot stated.

"No, he's a little steamed of your actions but he couldn't find the heart to hate you. The Pikachu had mellowed with old age, and that Kanto boy is like healing cream to his old wounds. If you were to understand the bond that century old Pikachu made with that kid, then you've understood a part of Tesla. There's something about him that Tesla likes."

"Ash?"

Stucky nodded, "Yes, Ash. There's something about the boy that he likes."

"Maybe it's because Ash wants to become a Pokémon Master," said Cabot, "Just like Irvin."

Stucky got up and sat his coffee mug down, "No, there's a lot more to it than we realize. You've got to understand that Tesla Westinghouse spent most of his life in forlorn. He wants to make friends, and not just any friends: _Good _friends. Cause the friends he has are either old, dying, or just plain unreliable."

Cabot looked out the window, it was a beautiful afternoon. The world outside was peaceful, pretty even. What kind of horrors had Tesla seen that made him who he was?

"I've managed to persuade my boss in letting Tesla in," said Stucky, "Turns out his father is a Tesla fan as well, so as far as I'm concerned, Tesla has all the cards," he let out a snicker, "Tesla always has all the cards, and one damn of a poker face."

"I'm going to be battling against his great-great granddaughter," said Cabot, "Or there's a good chance I would. But just what am I expecting exactly?"

"Tesla's a well-trained Pokémon, he'll no doubt pass on a few moves. Heck, maybe some of the moves he made himself. Have you seen what Galva Punch can do to you if it was delivered to your chest?"

Cabot shook his head, "No."

Stucky leaned forward, "That Pokémon would go down instantly, maybe a few blows if they're larger than Tesla but," he held up a finger, "If Tesla has another trick up his sleeve, you better watch out for it. He tends to pull out something random from time and time again."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __6_

Tesla crashed . . . again.

Just when he had a moment with that warm fuzzy feeling it withered and died. It came when he was just finished taking a much needed shower in the hotel room's bathroom. The old Pikachu collapsed to the floor of the bathtub and grabbed his chest, the fire in his heart was back - with vengeance.

_You got __to__ be kidding me._

Tesla got up and took a deep breath, his entire body started aching again. All that love had faded, like it wasn't even there. The old Pikachu leaned against the bath tub and whimpered, it felt like his own body was turning against him, _Why does this always happen to me, _he asked himself, _why?_

He peered inside the bath tub, his eyes bulge. Inside was a carpet of yellow fur, _his _fur. It coated the bottom of the tub like pressed grass, the hair strands lining parallel towards the drain. Tesla reached down and touched a clump of wet fur, it oozed water as it broke apart, heading towards the drain. He then looked at his arm, peering closely he noticed tiny strands of white thin fur mingling with the yellow strands. Tesla reached down and pulled at a strand, it came off with a stab of pain. Several hair follicles around it broke off and fell to the floor, joining the rest of the broken fur.

_I'm losing my fur, _he thought, _f__irst I've lost weight, and now I'm losing my fur. And whatever hair is growing back is just a bleached yellow. Holy crap, my own body's turning against me._

The nanobots in his bloodstream kept him young internally, shredding bits of bacteria and viruses and killing abnormal cells. The Faraday doctors also cleaned out his blood of old dormant cells, curing his old age. But that wasn't enough. They fixed him up as best as they can, but they can't fix the bad memories deep inside his own mind. The memories that were aging him.

_Mind over body, _Tesla thought, _figures._

There was a knock on the bathroom door, "Hey, Tesla," he heard Ash's voice, "You done in there?"

"I am," said Tesla, staring into the bathtub, "But I think I broke something."

Tesla unlocked the bathroom door and Ash peeked through, "What's wrong, Tesla?"

"Look in the tub."

Ash peered inside the tub and made a face, "Wow, that's a lot of fur."

"I think I'm finally losing my hair," said Tesla, "What's growing back are bleached strands of white fur. I'm losing my color, Ash, my age is starting to catch up to me."

Ash turned to him, "What's going to happen?"

"Best case scenario is I become butt-naked," said Tesla, "Worse case scenario, it's a sign that something else is breaking down."

"Is it the stress from raising Volta?"

Tesla shook his head, "No, I think it's something else. Something more personal."

Ash picked up Tesla's towel and spread it out, "You want me to dry you off."

The old Pikachu smiled, "As far as I can tell, the best treatment is affection."

Ash picked Tesla up and carried him back to the room, Cilan was reading a book while Iris was playing with Axew. Pikachu played paddy-cake with Volta, they both giggled and muttered to themselves in joy. Ash sat Tesla on the bed, the old Pikachu pulled off his goggles and closed his eyes as Ash wiped him down, "Every time you put your hands on me, does my fur feel rough to you?"

"The points on the hairs are," said Ash, "But not when their smoothed down."

"So it's starting to feel like sandpaper?"

"Yeah, kinda."

Cilan looked up, "What's going on?"

"Oh, I'm just getting old," said Tesla, "My fur's turning white, or what's left of it is."

"It will happen to all of us," said Ash.

"For me," said Tesla, "It's happening quite late, I'm surprised I kept my fur this long in the game."

Tesla held up his hand, he pushed aside some of the fur and looked at the skin underneath. It was pale, white, hidden from the world by a deteriorating layer of fur. Tesla closed his eyes as Ash wiped his head, then under his armpits. His warm affection helped soothed the ache in his heart to the point where it became nonexistent, at least for the time being. Ash pulled the towel away and looked at it, "I think I've pulled off more of your fur, Tesla," he said, "Sorry."

"The fur's my least concerns," said Tesla, "It's alright, Ash, I'm going to be hairless eventually."

Tesla grinned, and Ash chuckled, "I can't imagine what a hairless Pikachu would look like."

"Imagine a guy streaking across a parking lot with nothing on but his limey birthday suit, enough said."

Volta and Pikachu let out a laugh, _"What a nightmare that would be." _Pikachu giggled.

As Ash went to dump the towel in the laundry, Tesla crawled into the bed and pulled the covers over him. Just as he was about to fall asleep, Volta came crawling up on his back. She snuggled up by his side and giggled, Tesla could feel her handkerchief rub against his side as she hugged him, _"You smell pretty." _she murmured.

_"I used Ash's shampoo," _Tesla whispered in Pokémon speech, _"Don't say anything."_

Volta giggled as Tesla wrapped his arms around her, "You brighten my day," said Tesla, "You know that?"

_"Yes." _she said.

Then Tesla got serious, "Tomorrow, I'll push you to the limit. I wanna see how much stamina you have, it would get uncomfortable but I'll let you sleep early and wake up late. There's going to be few breaks so please, try not to complain."

_"I won't," _Volta promised.

_Sure you won't, _Tesla thought sarcastically, but didn't say.

**. . .**

A new message from the PRA arrived at the drop site, this time Wotter went over to retrieve it. The dead drop spike was placed at the opposite end of where Smugleaf placed theirs, Wotter peaked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching as he reached for it.

When he got back to the safehouse, Smugleaf sat nearby and watched as Wotter fiddled with the caps. One cap came off without warning and clattered to the floor. Both Pokémon froze, expecting an explosion. The major hazard when using these spray-painted pipe bombs is that if the cap is improperly screwed on there's a chance it would explode. PRA members handling dead drop spikes got injured because of sloppy handiwork, some even got killed. For Wotter and Smugleaf, they were lucky. They later discovered that there was no charge in the dead drop spike, a major intelligence violation for the sending end, but at least they both lived to see another day.

Wotter plucked out the note and looked at it, Smugleaf raised an eyebrow, _"What does it say?" _she asked.

_"Nobark written this one," _said Wotter, _"It's in cursive, I can't read cursive."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "The letters are all fused together, and these damn monkey tails..."_

Wotter grumbled under his breath as he handed the note to Smugleaf, she opened it up and looked at it, _"It says here to tail the two Mice Pokemon __as a secondary objective__," _said Smugleaf, _"We also have a new __primary __objective."_

_ "And what would that be?" _Wotter asked.

Smugleaf grinned, _"We've got an assassination mission."_

_ "Who's the target?"_

There are those that Nobark declared were either enemies of the PRA, or a potential threat. Assassination missions were rare, due to the intense investigations of the URP. The missions were usually done in Unova, mostly in random clusters. Nobark never risked an assassination mission outside the regional borders or target citizens from other regions. That would risk catching the attention of Interpol, the international police. Where the URP can only target "criminals" within their jurisdiction, Interpol can target criminals anywhere around the world. But only if the crime committed occurs across two regions or in international waters.

Smugleaf looked at the hit list, three names were marked:

**TREVOR KINGSLEY**

**BARRY RODRIGUEZ**

**CABOT RICHARDSON**

_"Human names no doubt," _said Smugleaf, _"Sounds like they're male."_

_ "The usual," _said Wotter, _"Does he say where they live?"_

_ "Just for the top name. Nobark wrote that he would send in some photos, along with their usual array of Pokémon."_

Wotter peaked inside the dead drop spike, after making sure it was empty he screwed the cap back on and set it aside, _"Does he say why?"_

_ "Why what?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"On why he wants them dead?"_

Smugleaf re-read the message, then shook her head, _"No, it just says kill these folks. He didn't say why."_

Wotter moaned, _"He always had a reason in the early days of the PRA, now he doesn't even tell us why anymore."_

_ "We don't need to know why," _Smugleaf stated.

_"True, but I've been in this business long enough to have some caution. Get the wrong guy and we raise unnecessary attention."_

Smugleaf folded up the message and sat it on the desk, _"I'm going to go to bed, I'm dead tired."_

_ "Go ahead," _said Wotter, _"I'm going to step out for a moment, I'll be right back."_

_ "Where you going?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Going off on a stroll, maybe stop by at the Pokémon Center."_

_ "Okay, just be careful."_

**. . .**

_I will, _Wotter thought, _I certainly will._

Smugleaf laid down on her moldy mattress and yawned, she stretched out her leafy tail and relaxed. Wotter left the safehouse through the back alleys, when he stepped out into the street Wotter casually walked down the sidewalk. It was just a few minutes before 11PM, the street was barren save for himself and the bright street lamps. A few human beings and Pokémon were out, none of them looked shady as far as he could tell.

Wotter casually walked down the sidewalk, he kept a stern poker face as people walked by. No one showed curiosity or suspicion of his character. Good. Being the Discipline Pokémon sure have its perks.

_Don't look like you're looking for trouble, _Wotter told himself, _Don't even stay in one place for long._

The Vegas City Pokémon Center, where he and Smugleaf first saw the Mice Pokémon in action, loomed ahead. Wotter casually slipped into the alleyways, he held his breath and listened for any creatures lurking in the shadows. He heard nothing, he had the back alleys to himself.

His personal playground.

Wotter reached the back of the Pokémon Center. Compared to the surrounding buildings, its back walls were clean. So clean that he could eat off of it. Wotter pressed his nose against the wall and smelled it, a pungent odor of fresh paint filled his nostrils.

_Recently painted, _Wotter thought, _No dust or soot to leave fingerprints or smudges._

The Discipline Pokémon approached a hanging ladder in the back, he glanced around to see if anyone was watching. Still nobody there. He crouched and jumped, grabbing the bottom rail of the ladder. The Dewott pulled himself up, careful not to make any noise. When he reached the top the ladder, Wotter crouched. Like a ninja, he crawled up to a window and peaked in. Inside was a hospital room, the lights were off and it looked barren. Wotter saw something moved on the bed, he peered closer to see what it was.

_An Oshawott, _he thought, _o__h this brings back memories._

The Oshawott looked beaten up, he was covered with bruises and his hand was wrapped in a molded cast. Wotter recalled the Pikachu had broken the Sea Otter's wrist, his pre-evolved counterpart must be demoralized after the incident.

_Pathetic noob._

Wotter pressed the palm of his hands against the window and pushed, it slid up a crack. The Discipline Pokémon grabbed the bottom and pulled it all the way up, then climbed inside.

In the darkness of the room, Wotter quietly tip-toed towards the door and pressed his ear against it. So far no tapping noises of Audino feet, nor the soft heavier steps of a Nurse Joy. Wotter pressed the lock button on the knob, then quietly slid a trash can behind the door. He turned back towards the Oshawott, it slept peacefully in the bed, probably dreaming of the usual retarded things Oshawott's dream. A part of Wotter recalled how care-free he was when he was an Oshawott, and how silly he was. But ever since he evolved, he regretted those memories. They lack maturity, reason.

The Oshawott stirred, Wotter got on his belly and held his breath, _"Thirsty," _muttered the Sea Otter Pokémon, _"I'm so thirsty."_

_ Curse of being a water-type, _Wotter thought, _we always need water._

_ "Audino," _he weakly called, _"Are you-"_

Wotter leaped up and threw a hand over his mouth, he whipped out his Razor Shell and held it to the Oshawott's throat. The sky-blue plasma blade glowed in the dark, lighting up the room with a faint hum. The Oshawott's eyes bulged in horror as Wotter leered into him. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing more terrified than the evolved form of his own species.

_"You scream," _Wotter warned, _"I-"_

The Oshawott started gasping for air, he grabbed his chest and managed to utter out a painful cry through Wotter's hand. The Discipline Pokémon raised an eyebrow and watched as the Oshawott slipped into unconsciousness.

_What the? _Wotter thought.

The Sea Otter Pokémon laid still, not even breathing. Wotter pressed his ear against the Oshawott's chest and listened for anything. He heard nothing.

_Oops._

Well that was stupid, very stupid. But no matter, this Oshawott wasn't very important. Just another insignificant Pokémon, like all the other lesser members of the PRA. Wotter pulled his hand off the Oshawott's mouth, it laid still and silent. He turned towards the door, wondering if an Audino would show up and start knocking. So far, nothing. Still no faint tapping of Audino feet. Wotter put away his shell and thought for a moment, an idea comes to mind.

_This might work into my favor, _he thought, _I could loot the room and the Oshawott would take the blame, it's perfect!_

Wotter opened up several cabinets, looking for anything of use. There were several jars of healing powder and bottled water. The Discipline Pokemon grabbed the Oshawott's pillow and ripped off its pillow case, using it as a swag bag as he pilfered the cabinets for basic necessities. He grabbed what he could and stuffed it into the pillow case, when it was full he tied a knot into it and sat it down. He turned back towards the cabinets, they were wide open with the shelves either partial or completely empty. The Dewott grinned, he decided to leave the cabinets open for the Audinos to find.

_Now what to do with the body?_

The Discipline Pokémon grabbed the thin comforter and spread it across the floor, he sat the swag bag in the middle, then placed the Oshawott's body next to it. He grabbed all four corners and brought them to the center, then tied a triple knot in it. Looks good, no way anything would fall out of it. Wotter hoist the loot back over his shoulder and peaked out the window. The alley was still barren, Wotter climbed through the window and head back down the ladder.

He jumped down and rushed over to the nearby storm drain. Wotter couldn't walk out in the open with the loot bag on his back, he'll need to take the underground route back to the safehouse. Wotter drew his Razor Shell and used it as a lever to pull off the manhole cover. He stuffed the loot bag down the hole, squeezing the Oshawott and the loot down the hole till it fits. The bag dropped to the bottom of the storm drain with a soft thud, Wotter then climbed in and grabbed the manhole cover, he slid it over him as he disappeared into Vegas City's underworld.

**. . .**

The old Pikachu slept well that night, no bad feelings or nightmares, which was good. Tesla found it comforting if he cradled Volta in his sleep. He woke up refreshed the next morning, and hungry. So when breakfast came, he got himself a waffle. Make that two waffles, loaded them with maple syrup and butter. He was done even before Volta finished her breakfast.

Ash and his friends took notice of the sudden change of mood, wondering to themselves what kind of good they had done for him last night. Was there something about today that raised Tesla's spirits, or something from last night's talk the helped Tesla pull himself together? However, the old Pikachu's mood always turned on a dime. One moment he was in his own version of being top of the world, looking up at people and smile, being very talkative; then the next he would be moody, irritable, his voice drained of motivation and joy. He would answer a few questions when asked, but beyond that, he wouldn't even speak at all. Tesla would stare at the wall as if he thought it moved, waiting to see it flinch.

As Tesla took Volta out for training, he was emotionally stable with no visible sign of depression. When the old Mouse Pokémon was focused on something, he would set all emotions aside and work his time on it. The group could see some glimmer of stress in Tesla's eyes, but they were suppressed. Well suppressed. Volta was the most important thing to him right now, he really wanted to see her prosper.

But there was something nagging him about it, it doesn't take a trained observer to notice that Tesla was uneasy about the idea of Volta actually battling.

When Volta asked him about questions about Pokémon battling, instead of giving her a thorough explanation he would give a brief and simple answer and move on to the next subject. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon would go on about specific areas of concern, like how much damage could she take before dropping, "We'll get to that." Tesla simply answered.

When the group reached the training area, Tesla showed her the obstacle course. The course was full of rubber rocks, monkey bars, jumping platforms, and slides, the old Pikachu brought Volta to the starting position and said, "The average time to complete this course is 5 minutes, can you complete it with less time?"

_"I believe I can!"_ Volta chirped.

Cilan had a stopwatch ready, "Okay, set . . . GO!"

Volta was all over that course in seconds. She climbed up the rubber rocks, leaped across pedestals, swing across monkey bars, and skid down the slides on her feet. Everybody's jaws dropped, this was her first time going through an obstacle course and she was doing it like a pro. She was at the other end when the stopwatch reached 3 minutes and 25 seconds.

_"That was fun," _she cheered, _"Can I do it again!?"_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon didn't even break a sweat, she jumped up and down, insisting on another go. Tesla chuckled and turned to Ash, "That little thing's a power plant of energy."

"What's next, Tesla?" Ash asked.

"Let's see how far I can run her until she blows a fuse."

Tesla took Volta, still jumping up and down, to the quarter kilometer race track, he had her stand on the center of the race track and told her, "You're going to run a kilometer," Tesla said, "For that, you're going to run this track four times. If I see you slow down or even drift into the other lanes, you'll have to run it a fifth time. I'll give you a light shock in the tail to let you know."

Volta nodded vigorously, _"Got it."_

"Don't even slow down when you reached the finish line, you run at your fastest till you cross it. Then you can stop."

_"Yes, Tesla."_

Tesla slapped her on the rear, "Go, girl!"

Volta broke into a run on all fours, she sprinted down the track like a rocket. Tesla watched her become a yellow blur as she made the turn, showing no signs of fatigue.

"You sure she can handle that?" Cilan asked.

"She won't," said Tesla, "She's going to throw up when she finish, go get her a barf bag and a bottle of water. We're going to need them."

"Okay," said Iris.

"Ax," Axew added.

On the first lap, Tesla barely saw any sweat as Volta zipped by. Around the second lap, Volta finally began to show signs of fatigue. She was panting harder, trying to push herself. When she passed by a third time, she pulled off her handkerchief and tossed it to Tesla. He reached up and caught it. The handkerchief was soaked with hot steaming sweat, Tesla unfolded the handkerchief and rested it on the picnic table. Ash, Cilan, and Pikachu watched Volta press on, sweat rain from her body as she kept running at her current pace. They could hear her pant from the other side of the track. When she came around, her eyes were steely focused, her body ready to give in.

Iris was back with a barf bag and the water bottle, she sat them on the bench and asked, "How she's doing?"

"She's still going," said Tesla, "She's not even showing any sign of slowing down."

Volta came around for the time, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon didn't slow down but sped up. Her panting quickened, her heart-rate hovering in the red zone. When she crossed the finish line, she jumped and did a front flip before landing on her hind legs, _"Ta da!" _Volta cheered.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon toppled over, she was about to fall over when Tesla caught her in time. She fell into the palms of his hands, her eyes looking up into his, "You did good, Volta," said Tesla as she pulled her back upright, "You did really well."

_"I did!" _Volta wheezed, then her face turned green.

Tesla didn't need to call for the barf bag, Iris handed to him in seconds. Volta grabbed it and puked her breakfast into the bag like there was no tomorrow, "Let it out," Tesla said, patting her on the back, "Just let it all out."

Volta coughed and spat in the bag, then handed it back to Tesla. She took a minute to breath, then lit up again, _"Do I get to have breakfast again?" _she asked.

Tesla snickered, "Yeah, you can. How you're feeling?"

_"All my muscles are burning, my heart's pounding, and my head's hurting. But overall, I feel good. Really good. I think I can do a fifth lap."_

"No no, Volta," said Tesla, "You had enough for today, you gotta rest."

Tesla handed her the bottled water and she chugged it down, literally pouring the water into her stomach, "Slow down, Volta," advised Cilan, "Not too fast!"

"She's fine," said Tesla, "Let's get her back to the hotel room and get her a nice long bath, then we'll feed her a big milkshake."

Volta's eyes went big, _"A milkshake!?"_

"A big one for you." Tesla smiled.

Volta leaped up in the air and cheered, _"Yippie!" _

**. . .**

Tesla carried Volta back to the Red Rock Hotel, she rested on his head as he casually walked along the sidewalk. He held her pink handkerchief in his hand, it felt rough and crusty after it dried. Maybe later he would stick it in the laundry, that should take care of it.

He felt Volta her head as she muttered unintelligible rambling under her breath. He stroke her arms with his fingertips, Volta giggled and pulled them away, _"Stop, Tesla." _she laughed.

When the group got back to the Red Rock Hotel, they went straight for the hotel room, "I'm going to give Volta a bath," said Tesla, "You guys go ahead and look around the city, we'll meet up later tonight."

"Okay, Tesla," said Ash, "We'll see you later."

"Bye, Tesla." said Iris.

_"Bye," _Axew added.

"Bye," said Cilan.

When the group left, Tesla carried Volta to the bathroom. He tossed the handkerchief on the counter and plunk Volta in the bath tub. Her black pearl eyes gazed at him as he turned on the water. It rushed across the tub and touched her feet, she pulled her feet away and shivered, "Too cold?" he asked.

Volta nodded, she folded her arms and shivered.

"Don't worry, the water will heat up."

Within a minute the water warmed, Tesla plugged the tub and grabbed the nearby shampoo. Ash, or maybe Cilan, had the heart to buy her bubblegum bubble bath. He filled the cap with bath soap, then dumped it into the tub. Volta giggled as she ran her fingers through the growing mass of bubbles, Tesla chuckled as he reached for the shampoo, "Okay, let's see how this smells."

The old Pikachu poured a dab on Volta's head, she squeezed her eyes shut as Tesla brought up the sponge, "Sit down, Volta," said Tesla, "and don't move."

Volta nodded, she sat down in the tub and Tesla proceed to scrub her. She closed her eyes as Tesla scrubbed her head till it turned white with soap, then dunked the sponge in the water and washed out her ears, _"Can you tell me a story, Tesla?" _she asked.

"What kind of story?" he asked.

_"How did your trainer give you baths, and how often?"_

Tesla thought for a moment, he added more soap to the sponge and scrubbed Volta's back, "In our early days he used to give me baths in the kitchen sink. The way the faucet sprayed water on my back was warm and fuzzy, I could feel all the grease come off my back like someone was peeling back a sticker. He gave me a bath twice a day, saying that I should look civilized for the world."

_"What kind of shampoo does he use?" _he asked.

"A variety of shampoo," said Tesla, "He never buys the same shampoo twice, saying it ruins the hair. Sometimes the shampoo he uses makes my fur shine, sometimes it smoothes it out, I remember one shampoo that made my fur all poofy, and that brought a lot of laughs."

_"You talked about getting massages __last night__, right?"_

"Right."

_"Does he give you massages after bath time?"_

Tesla shook his head, "No, that would be his best-friend, Matt. He had fingers and knuckles that you wouldn't believe, my joints were so relaxed that the world felt right. I felt so good that I could wear a smile with pride for the rest of the day."

The old Pikachu added more soap on Volta's fur, this time he scrubbed harder and got her armpits and buttocks. She giggled when he scrubbed the bottom of her feet, _"__Why do you ta__ke more showers than baths__?" _Volta asked.

"It takes a lot of water for a bath," said Tesla, "And the water gets cold too fast. When I shower, I don't use much water and it stays constantly warm. It's also easier to wash the loose fur away too."

_"Do you ever miss having a bath?" _Volta asked.

Tesla smiled, "Yes, I do. Only a special person can make bath time so enjoyable."

Volta smiled and dunked her head in the suds. Tesla shut off the water and stretched his legs, when Volta popped back up he picked the sponge back up and squeeze out all the water, _"Why are you always on the move, Tesla?" _Volta asked.

"Huh?"

_"We keep moving from place to place, with no destination in mind. You never told me why we keep moving from town to town."_

Tesla frowned and looked away, "I didn't tell you, did I?"

Volta's eyes bulged, she started shivering in her skin, _"What's wrong, Tesla? What's wrong!?"_

"Nothing, Volta. Don't worry, nothing's wrong. There was something wrong, but that's all over and done with."

_"You're feelings were hurt," _said Volta, _"A long time ago something hurt your feelings, it was bad wasn't it?"_

That was no question. Thoughts of his parents came to Tesla's mind, then Volta's dead mother lying on the floor of the burrow. Tesla bit his lip and sighed, he looked at Volta and said, "I'll tell you some other time, Volta. Just not right now."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon's eyes started tearing, Tesla felt his heart sank, _"I'm sorry," _Volta sobbed, _"I'm sorry I brought it up, I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"_

Tesla hugged Volta's head and patted her back, "Volta," he said, "Babe, it's not your fault. It's never your fault."

_"It's not that," _said Volta, _"You're getting that look on your face again, Tesla. That same look you always make before you drink!"_

"Volta, I-"

Volta pulled away and snapped, _"I know, Tesla! I've seen several times where you drank up a bottle! You were all fun and games and bubbly and fun, but it's not that! It's when you pass out afterw__a__rds!" _then Volta really broke down in tears, _"I felt so helpless when you pass out at the weirdest places, I felt alone! I couldn't pull you off to safety cause you were too heavy, and I get scared! You were vulnerable, I was vulnerable! I was afraid that I would lose you!"_

Tesla stood there and watched Volta cry, he felt his eyes began to water. She was right, every time he goes out on a drinking binge Volta had to sit back and watch him be a fool, stumbling all over himself till he pukes and pass out on his own mess. The old Pikachu assumed that she wouldn't give much thought about it, apparently she had. She was becoming safety conscious and already understood what responsibility was, Volta knew how hazardous it was for Tesla to drink. The amount of beer he consumed...

Tesla led the crying Volta to the faucet where he washed off all the suds, he then pulled her out and sat her on the floor, "Every time I was drunk," he said as he dried her off with a towel, "Did I hit you or anything?"

_"No," _said Volta, _"You never laid a hand on me. You just keep wandering into random directions, mumbling weird things in Pokémon speech. I steered you into better directions such as the nearest Pokémon Center, but you keep wandering off towards bad parts of town. If you were to stay at the Pokémon Center where you won't hurt yourself, I wouldn't have mind. But you kept moving, and moving, and moving without end, until you dropped," _then she asked, _"You never remember your drunk moments, do you."_

Again, another statement, "Just bits and pieces,"said Tesla, then sighed, "I'm sorry that I scared you, Volta. I didn't realize how bad it was."

Volta shook her head, _"No, I don't. I don't know how bad it is because it's somewhere in your head, __somewhere behind your eyes."_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon hugged her great-great grandfather and sobbed, _"Please don't leave me, Tesla. Not like this, not as a little Pichu!"_

Tesla kissed her forehead and whispered in Pokémon speech, _"I'll do whatever I can to see you evolve."_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __7_

_"__What did you bring back, Wotter?" _Smugleaf asked in surprise as she stared at the Oshawott corpse.

_"I've raided the local Pokémon Center," _said Wotter, _"This Oshawott was sleeping in the room I broke into, he couldn't handle the shock."_

Smugleaf shot a look at him, _"You sure he died from a heart attack?"_

Wotter shrugged, _"Well, he was grabbing his chest in agony. So probably yeah."_

_ "Probably?" _asked Smugleaf, _"Why were you in the Pokémon Center in the first place."_

_ "Cause I felt like having a challenge, so I sneaked in."_

Smugleaf raised an eyebrow, _"So let me get this straight, you went out last night to raid a Pokémon Center because you _felt _like it?"_

Wotter nodded, _"Yeah, pretty much."_

Smugleaf pressed her hands on her temples and grumbled, _"Wow, Wotter, you sure like to dangle on the knife's edge. If you get caught, you know I can't help you."_

_ "Getting caught is the least of my concerns," _the Discipline Pokémon grumbled.

The Grass Snake Pokémon reached down and pulled the Oshawott's head back, then looked into its mouth, _"Poor thing," _said Smugleaf, _"He was all achy and sh*t."_

Smugleaf uncoiled a vine and wrapped it around the Oshawott's chest, she then sat down and pulled the body close. Wotter watched as she wrapped her around the Oshawott's head and hugged him, _I knew she would like it, _he thought, _b__ut __this is not what I expected._

**. . .**

Tesla managed to calm Volta down, he sat her on the bed and pulled the covers over her and stroke her head. Either it was the fatigue that got her going or a buildup of pressure, Tesla wasn't sure, but he was certain that most of it was out now.

_Man I'm tired, _Tesla thought as he stretched his arms, _I gotta get Volta that milkshake, though I'm not sure she still wants it._

How stupid it was for the conversation to drift out of control. Tesla rubbed his head and mumbled swear words under his breath, he still couldn't believe his drinking habits led to it. He licked his lips and blinked, he wanted a beer so bad. The old Pikachu turned back towards Volta, she slept peacefully on the bed. She must be out of it, if so then she should be still asleep when he gets back.

Tesla stepped out of the hotel room and head down to the lobby, he head down to the back of the hotel where the café was. Its glass paneled doors and windows greeted him as he approached. The neon sign, shaped as a tea cup billowing steam, glared into his eyes as if it was screaming for attention. Tesla pushed through the doors and stepped through. The bare carpet turned into wooden planks, the walls become stained wooden panels. Jazz music played in the background, calming Tesla's nerves. Multiple conversations echoed across the room, amplifying the jazz's calming effect with its white noise. Tesla took a deep breath, the smell of coffee could never be better.

It may not be a bar, but it was close enough.

The café was small, yet there was enough room to fit couches and cushioned chairs. Several square tables were set up, along with booths lining the side wall. The back of the café counter was solid brick with the menu board mounted to its face. Tesla skimmed through his options until his mind fogged, then something short-circuited in his brain.

_What am I here for again? _

Oh boy, his memory was escaping him again. Always has been since he his forties. Tesla thought hard, trying to remember what he was here for. The reason eluded him, Tesla groaned and gave up, _Oh well, since I'm here anyway I guess I go order something._

He ordered a Salted Chocolate Crumble, a hot drink that was caked in chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, and a right amount of salt. The clerk still seemed troubled by a talking Pikachu, but nonetheless complied. Tesla placed his thumb on the biometric scanner, which automatically deducted money from his bank account. When he received his hot drink, Tesla made his way pass several tables and sat down at a cushioned chair at the corner. Several people looked on, giving Tesla a quick glance before returning to their drinks.

Or they looked like they were returning to their drinks.

The old Pikachu sipped his salted chocolate crumble. An explosion of flavor hit his mouth like a concussion grenade. He licked the roof of his mouth and smiled, that was the best hot drink he ever tasted.

_What am I going to do? _Tesla asked himself, _I got a kid to take care of and she's seeing through me as if my thoughts are displayed on __a billboard__. _

Probably they were, every time Volta looks at him she sees something wrong. Very wrong. Tesla went through painstaking work to hide it, and she sees through that too. The old Pikachu was on the edge of his tail, what else did Volta figured out about him that was also upsetting her?

Tesla sipped his drink again and stared at the wall, the jazz music helped ease his mind. Sometimes Volta gave him a hard time, constantly begging him for food and asking him to participate in things. It was nerve-racking. Tesla had to resist the urge to pull out his own ears when Volta wanted to go to a festival two weeks ago. He wondered if Volta sensed his frustration, probably she did, since she wasn't very talkative that day. Tesla closed his eyes, and sighed. How many times had he upset her? How long was it building up? She was suffering in silence, probably asking herself questions why he didn't wanna do anything. His usual excuses were, "I'm too old." "Not now, I'm tired." "I'm not feeling up for it."

_"Baloney,"_ she would say, _"You've just had a nap!"_

Eventually Tesla would give in, but he wasn't happy about it. Going to a festival, or go see a movie. How about the mall? Lots of open space and a lot of stores, though with a lot of people. The attention he would receive was bad enough, and Volta doesn't understand it all. She might enjoy it, sure. But when she got to that point for the need of privacy, it would start to torment her, like it had tormented Tesla.

At least it was good to finally be alone for a while. Volta was quite a drama queen, there was always something trying to upset her. Strangely it was always the minor things, like breaking down to tears because she dropped her ice cream. That running earlier, she was so exhausted that she threw up, and she didn't even complain. She claimed that she was feeling good instead. That made Tesla's heart warmed. She really wanted to battle, and was putting a hard effort to achieve it. Trying to accomplish her dreams perhaps.

_She wanted to battle, _Tesla thought, _b__e like me, yet I dread battlin__g and my life's not that great._

The old Pikachu's eyes bulged. Had she picked up on Tesla's celebrity status that she herself wanted to be famous? He had told her about his time with Irvin, about the adventures they'd been together. He also told her about the many Pokémon battles he fought and how bitter they were. She always listened carefully, not asking too many questions as if she understood a lot about what he was saying. Tesla wondered if she was listening to the stories, or was listening to his human voice. Either way, something inspired her to take that route and a part of Tesla was upset about it.

_And that is what she's picking up, _Tesla reasoned, _s__he knows what I'm feeling, but she doesn't understand why._

Tesla finished his hot drink and tossed it into the nearby trash can. How would he explain in Volta, in such a way, that she would understand but not be upset about it? It was a challenge, Volta was a bright Pichu. She's learning so much about the world that Tesla couldn't keep up with her development, like how does she automatically know what the bad parts of town were?

_I need some help, _he thought, _Maybe Ash would help me with this._

But that would have to wait, Tesla needs to check his e-mail. Matt could have responded.

He got off the cushioned chair and walked out of the café. Tesla walked back to the lobby and made his way to the cyber lounge, he hopped on one of the computer terminals and opened up his trainer's email. There was one message in the inbox, Tesla clicked on it.

_Dear Tesla,_

_ First of all it's always good to hear from you. I miss our adventure days when Irvin was around, I still dream of them on occasion. I didn't expect you still had access to Irvin's e-mail address, I thought it was defunct. Glad I kept it in my contacts._

_ I've read your message, and I don't know what to say._

_ Your message explained a lot about how Mark gotten a hold of his own Pikachu, hard to believe she's your great-granddaughter. He claims the capture was done with your blessing, but I doubt it. Knowing you, you tend to ruin people's fun for your own amusement. Classic you; classic Irvin._

_ Not a day goes by that I worry about you. Yes, I know, you're a generation older than me and I'm an elder myself. But you're basically on your own out there. You found your family, and for some reason you can't settle down. I know the ghosts of your past haunts you, old friend, but I've got the feeling you're letting them follow you. Don't get me wrong, but it seemed like you want them to follow you. _

_ If something is troubling you don't be afraid to call. As long as I live, I'll help you no matter what. I made that promise to Irvin and I'm not going to turn it down. Mark and Andy turned it into a family tradition, so I guess the same deal applies to all of us._

_ That Pichu you wrote about, how is she? I've been raising Pokémon as long as you, and I can tell you that the youngsters always see through you. If that Pichu, Volta, can sense your feelings, you might be hurting her emotionally. You're right, you can't lie to her. You've gotta tell her what happened to you, or you'll betray her tiny trust._

_ If you're wondering, things are going fine in Faraday City. Tensions between Unova and the Island are rising though, I'm sure you've heard about it some time ago. The analysises says that if we keep going on our current course, we'll might risk a civil war. _

_ But don't worry about that, Tesla, focus on what's going on with you. Remember, tell that Pichu or she'll feel you're rejecting her love. Remember, I'm here to help you, old buddy._

_ Your long-time friend,_

_ Matt Kissinger_

_ PS: Mark says hello, a grumbling hello._

Tesla snickered, "Mark's always Mark." he thought aloud.

"Excuse me," said a voice.

The old Pikachu turned and saw a girl standing before him. Her clothes were colorful, including her hat and backpack. Her appearance literally screamed Pokémon trainer. Tesla logged off of his trainer's e-mail account then faced the trainer, "Yes?" he asked.

The girl twists a handkerchief in her hands, she gulped and asked, "Are you Tesla Westinghouse?"

"Is that even a question?" Tesla asked.

"Uh, I suppose not."

Tesla frowned, "You want something?"

"You're participating in the Faraday Power Tournament, right?"

"I indeed am."

"But as a trainer?"

"What's it to you?"

Obviously the girl was a nervous wreck, Tesla wondered if her parents had prevented her from doing her own chores or isolated her from others when she was young. Maybe she was another psychotic fan. Tesla gets those on occasion, it always ends with him running out the door. So far the girl showed no signs of psychosis, but some people were good at hiding it.

"I'm Kayla," said the trainer, "I'm participating in the tournament too."

"You seem nervous," said Tesla, "Is there something wrong?"

"Uh, no," she said, "Just that . . . I've never met a talking Pokémon before."

"All Pokémon talk, Kayla. They just speak a different language."

"Oh, I mean . . . A Pokémon that speaks human speech."

Tesla's patience was running thin, he simply asked, "What is it that you need, assuming you need anything at all?"

"Um," she stammered, "I-I just want to say hello, cause you're so adorable with those goggles on."

The old Pikachu shrugged, "They correct my vision."

Kayla bit her lip, she glanced around to see if anyone was watching, then let out another sigh. A thought popped in Tesla's head, "You're resisting the urge to hug me, are you?"

"Yes," said Kayla, "You're just so cute that I," she stopped herself, then groaned, "My dad told me not to hug adorable Pokémon, he says I _asphyxiate_ them. I don't even know what asphyxiate means!"

"It means strangling the life out of someone," said Tesla, "Or simply: unable to breathe."

Kayla got down on her knees and sobbed, "Please," she cried, "I just want to hug you so bad, cause you're so _cute! _I've never seen a Pikachu before, they're so adorable!"

"My bones are fragile," said Tesla, "But my joints and muscles are stiff. Do you know how to massage?"

"Yes," said Kayla, "I work as a massage therapist at the local spa."

Tesla stood up on the chair, "Tell you what, if you give me a deep tissue massage I'll let you cuddle me for as long as you want."

Kayla screamed, "Thank you, thank you thank you! Thank you so much!"

_Why do I always attract the weird people? _Tesla thought to himself.

**. . .**

Volta didn't feel well, her arms and legs were so worn out from training that they burned. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon knew that was a good thing, physical pain meant progress, and progress would help her battle.

But there was one kind of pain that she knew was more bad; more than bad, terrible! Every time Volta were to look into Tesla's soft glazed eyes, she saw he was hurting inside. Hurting, maybe even crying inside. His pain tugged her heart till it was sore, if his pain was bad enough, then it could rip it right out of her chest. It almost did earlier, Tesla was in denial. Course he was concerned, but mostly physical. Volta knew that Tesla's parents and siblings were taken away from him, but she doesn't know how. Her great-great grandfather wouldn't tell her. Volta knew why. Tesla was ashamed of it, ashamed that the family he so dearly loved was gone forever.

So he drinks, usually around night sometime after 9PM. Tesla would go track down some beer, either at the store or at the bar. He would always tell Volta to hide and wait for him to come out, she complied without question. She was a good little Pichu after all, good little Pichus don't back-talk elders when they're up to something.

Volta waited, usually around 5 or 20 minutes. Tesla would always show up with a bag of beer, vodka, wine, or whiskey, stuffed with two bottles. Always two bottles. No more, no less. Sometimes Tesla mix the drinks up a bit when his mood's really down. Volta felt helpless as she watched her wise inspiring elder drink himself into an old bumbling fool. At first he was fun, often giving Volta helicopter rides and sometimes dance with her. Beyond that, it was anything but fun. He would always wander off, usually on four legs. Volta would ask him where were they going, and he would always reply, "I have no idea."

It didn't take long for Volta to realize Tesla was looking for trouble. Sometimes Tesla would take huge dumps in trash cans, usually in those with dinner plate size holes. Then he would trash talk several stray Pokémon until they got pissed off, and sometimes that would lead to a crude version of a Pokémon battle. Volta had seen Tesla battle intoxicated as well as sober, there wasn't much difference, only that Tesla would be a total scumbag when he rubbed his victory in their faces.

Volta was scared, she felt like she had to say something but couldn't risk standing up against his elder. Tesla would get angry, or irritated, and that would force him into drinking. The old Pikachu was the boss, the leader. Volta couldn't challenge him, no matter how much she tried. It was hurting her really bad.

And suddenly it all came out, came out like a runaway flood. Volta watched as Tesla's spirits sank, they were having such a good time and she blew it. He was training her for the upcoming tournament, and she blew it. Blew her chance, blew her opportunity.

She wanted him with her right now, snuggled up into his side for comfort. Volta opened her eyes and sat up on the bed, _"Tesla," _Volta called out, _"Are you there?"_

No answer, the hotel room was empty.

_Oh no, _she realized, _he's going out to drink again!_

This time she wouldn't be there to see if he was alright. What if he gets hurt? What if Officer Jenny bags him for indecency?

_What if he doesn't come back!? _Volta gasped.

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no! If he doesn't come back, no one would take care of her. She would be all alone and she wouldn't see her friends again.

_I gotta find him, _Volta told herself, _I gotta find him!_

Volta jumped off the bed and rushed towards the door. She sniffed the edges for any trace of Tesla's scent. She found it. The scent was strong, Tesla could have left 20 or 30 minutes ago. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon jumped on the door knob and twisted it, she pressed her foot against the frame and pushed. The door creaked open. Volta jumped down and crept into the hall, then shut the door behind her.

She followed the scent trail, sniffing the floor to refresh the smell. The trail lead down the stairs into the lobby. Several people walked by and glanced at Volta, they muttered comments of how adorable she was but made no attempt at affection. There was a boy that wanted to pet Volta, but the mother yanked him away before he could touch her. Volta looked around the lobby, sniffed the air a few times, then continued. The lobby was getting crowded. Yesterday the lobby was barren, now it was jam packed. Tourists no doubt, Tesla always says that they were people traveling to see something. In a sense, she was a tourist too. But her traveling was more permanent, with no destination in mind.

"Hello, pretty thing."

Volta looked up and saw a young man towering before her. She sensed he was friendly, but something else was scaring her.

"What are you," he asked, "I've never seen a Pokémon like you before."

_"A Pichu," _Volta answered.

The human doesn't have the ear to understand her language, but simply saying something was enough to get her message across. He pulled out his Pokédex, or what Tesla called them, and pointed it at her.

_"Pichu," _the Pokédex's electronic voice says, _"The Tiny Mouse Pokémon. Pichus have great difficulty controlling their electricity, and will unintentionally discharge without warning. Pichus will gain greater control of its electricity as it ages."_

"A Pichu," said the man, he pocketed his Pokédex and got on his knees, "Where's your trainer, are you lost?"

Volta shook her head no.

"Just waiting for him?"

_"Yes." _she said.

"I hope I'm not scaring you or anything, but you seemed concerned. You look like you were looking for something, were you looking for your trainer?"

_"He's somewhere here."_

"Look," he said, "Is it alright if I watch you for a while, so your trainer would come back?"

Volta frantically shook her head and stepped back, _"Please," _she cried, _"Leave me alone!"_

"Whoa there, Pichu," he said, "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just asking you if I could-"

Volta broke into a sprint, the man tried to catch her but she slipped passed his fingers. She weaved passed several tourist, many of which swerved to avoid stepping on her. The man simply stood up and cried, "Pichu, wait!"

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon lost the man in the crowd, she continued following Tesla's scent trail. The trail led around the cyber lounge, Volta walked up to one of the computer terminals and sniffed a particular seat, _"He was here," _she thought aloud, _"But where did he go?"_

The trail led straight out of the hotel, Volta sniffed the air again. She picked it up, it sounded stronger this time. Volta adjust her pink handkerchief and sprinted down the street, her muscles aching as she ran.

**. . .**

_"__More intel from Nobark," _said Smugleaf as she held up the latest dead drop spike, _"Let's see what's inside._

Wotter stepped back as Smugleaf opened up the black tube of dynamite, she pulled out the precious contents and unfold it, _"Okay," _she said, _"Trevor's a technician at the local auto shop, working on the latest vehicles."_

_ "The cars with the computers in them, right?" _Wotter asked.

_"Right, __and __apparently__he does his job well. Apparently he had caught a few PRA operatives some years back in Nimbasa Town. They were trying to blow out a local substation, but Trevor caught them in the act. Since then Trevor kept a close eye on suspicious Pokémon, sometimes nosing in on our operations in central Unova. It just so happens that Trevor had pull__ed__ a few strings in working to capture rogue Pokémon, and so Nobark decided to have him disposed of."_

Wotter snickered, _"Rogue Pokémon, how are we rogue? We're fighting for a righteous cause after all!_

Smugleaf waved a finger at him, _"They call us rogue cause we break sh*t, and that makes the humans angry. Humans like Trevor. This mission would give the PRA one less headache to worry about," _she pulled out a small slip of paper and handed it to Wotter, _"Here's a photo of him."_

Wotter examined the photo. It was a crude black & white picture of Trevor Kingsley, printed out of a cheap printer. Trevor looked to be around in his forties, his hair not yet showing signs of graying. His facial expression was blank, maybe bored, as he looked like he was reaching for something on the pavement. Wotter wondered if the scout that took this photo while Trevor was working. Then again, he didn't care. It was a good shot, Wotter could guess his height. The technician might be around 160 or 180 centimeters tall, he might get a more accurate estimate if Trevor was standing but it wasn't important. What was important was that they now know what he looked like.

_"How do you want to do this?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Quick and clean," _said Wotter, _"We don't know the police response in Vegas City, let alone their effectiveness at investigation. We don't want to raise alarm if the cops find the body, we'll need to take it out somewhere where we could ditch it."_

_ "Burn it, maybe?" _

_ "Yes, burn it if we have to."_

Smugleaf nodded, then pulled out her knife, _"Quick and clean, you said."_

_ "Right." _said Wotter.

_"Okay, then. Leave this one to me."_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __8_

"Woooww," Tesla purred, "This is _way _better than being cuddled."

Kayla ran her thumbs across his back, targeting the stiff knots that had been plaguing him. The old Pikachu cooed as they loosen, soothing from a solid rock to soft jelly. Kayla giggled as she rubbed his shoulder-blades, "You're a delicate one, are you?"

"Very delicate," said Tesla, "I took so much damage from my Pokémon battles that some injuries failed to recover, the mighty revival herb can cure a lot of things but not damage done by old age. The doctors cleaned out my blood, but everything else is still deteriorated. They can't fix everything."

"Okay, I'm going to pop some joints," said Kayla, "Is anything pinned back in place?"

"No, just screwed and stapled."

"So if I pop your joints, nothing will break."

"Not a thing, most of my injuries is around my torso area. Though I broke my arm and legs a few times, it was never around the joints. You don't have to worry about re-injuring old wounds."

Kayla grasped Tesla's shoulder with both hands, Tesla gasped when he felted it pop.

"You okay?" Kayla asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," said Tesla, "That shoulder was killing me for years."

Kayla popped the other shoulder, causing Tesla to coo in his Pokémon speech.

"You can alternate between languages?" Kayla asked.

"Yeah," said Tesla, "I'm bilingual."

The old Pikachu felt Kayla's hands drift down his back, centering around his rear, "You'll like this." she said.

_POP!_

The sensation of having his hip popped made his cheeks sparkle, Tesla cooed happily as Kayla massaged his lower back, "Total . . . relief," the old Pikachu muttered, "Pop the other one."

_POP!_

"Wow, I hadn't had them popped in 40 years! I've forgotten what my own butt feels like!"

"Are Pikachus quadruped?" Kayla asked.

"Yes, but we can walk bi-pedal. I just prefer to walk upright more than walking on four-legs, it helps my posture."

Tesla felt Kayla rub her hands against the base of his lightning bolt tail, "Is it okay if I pop your tail, Tesla?"

"A wild Pikachu would bite anyone who pulls their tail. But don't worry, I don't bite. I don't have much teeth left anyway."

Kayla grabbed the base of the tail and pulled it up, it made the loudest pop yet.

"The complications of having such a big tail," said Tesla, "has been relieved."

"It gives you problems?" Kayla asked.

"Sometimes I would accidentally close the door on it, it really hurts when it gets slammed like that."

Kayla massaged Tesla's tail all the way to the tip. The old Pikachu went back cooing again, "I've never felt so relieved in my entire life."

"You said you're training your great-great granddaughter, right?" Kayla asked.

"Yes, I am. She wanted to battle, like me."

"How is she?"

"She's tired from today, you should have seen her run. I mean, she was faster than a fighter jet. I had her run an entire kilometer without slowing down, she ran it perfectly."

"Did she comment on your old age?"

"Multiple times. She's worried about me, you know. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I just break down before she was ready to go on her own, that scares me a bit."

"Does your Pichu have a name?"

"Volta, her name's Volta."

Kayla chuckled, "Tesla, Volta, I see where this is going."

"Yeah, you could say that again."

Kayla reached up and grabbed Tesla's head, he felt the top of his skull pop. His eyes lit up, "For some reason, I feel smarter. It's like I gained an extra lobe!"

She then turned Tesla over onto his back, Tesla spread his limbs out as Kayla lifted up his feet, "The bottoms of your feet look so worn out," said Kayla, "I could see the skin underneath."

"I'm losing my fur," said Tesla, "Or I think I am."

Kayla grabbed his foot and popped the tiny joints in them, then rubbed her thumbs into the arch, "How's your feet?"

"Killing me," said Tesla, "I think I spent most of my time sitting than walking now."

She moved onto the other foot, then stopped, "Hey, Tesla," she asked, "What are these numbers?"

"What?" Tesla asked.

"There's a serial number tattooed on the bottom of your foot."

Tesla pulled up his foot and looked underneath, there was something there. He pushed aside some fur and peered closely. There, tattooed in dark-blue ink were thin numbers: KVF115.

"My serial number," said Tesla, his voice sounding flat, "I was captured in my childhood home, Viridian Forest in the Kanto region. The professor in charge of the Pokémon lab tagged me along with my family, it was..."

The old Pikachu's voice trailed off, he rested his head and stared up at the ceiling, "Complete horror."

"You never saw them again?" Kayla asked.

"Never saw them again," said Tesla, "If we did reunite, they wouldn't recognize me. I'm not the Pikachu they beloved anymore. And besides, it's been so long ago that they might have been dead for years."

"I'm sorry." said Kayla.

"You don't have to be, that pretty much explains why I was so weary of you when you wanna adore me. I haven't been around a lot of people until recently."

Kayla petted his head, "You poor thing."

Her hand drifted down her face and centered on his cheek, she then rubbed his red electro gland with her thumb. Tesla let out a smile, "Press harder," he said, "That feels good."

**. . .**

Tesla walked out of the spa feeling refreshed. Once again, his heart was warm and fuzzy and the world felt right. The old Pikachu looked at his hands and flexed them, then rubbed his cheeks, "I feel 20 years younger," Tesla thought aloud, "That makes me, 87!"

All of his frustration and regret lifted when Kayla took him apart and fixed him up. Tesla could move his joints to degrees he hadn't made in years, the old Pikachu consider going back to the spa so Kayla would groom his fur. Yes, a nice fur grooming was in order. His fur looked a little bleached from his age, maybe she had some yellow dye that would restore it.

_No, _Tesla told himself, _No hair dye, my fur's a lost cause._

Maybe within 20 to 40 years, he would be buck-naked with little patches of fur remaining. Hot damn, what would people think of that? Tesla wished to keep his fur, all of it. He didn't wanna feel cold when the temperature drops a few degrees. The doctors at Faraday Island may have found a way to cure balding, but the cure was for people, not Pokémon. Tesla stretched his arms and legs, and breathed. There was no need to worry that far off yet, he still had plenty of time in the world.

_"TESLA!"_

The old Pikachu's heart-warming bubble burst as reality reasserted itself. He spun around and saw Volta running after him. She was crying, sobbing huge droplets of tears. The Pichu leaped up into his arms and cried, _"There you are, I was worried. I woke up and you weren't there, I looked all over the hotel and I couldn't find you. I was afraid that you went out to drink, I was-"_

Tesla cupped a hand over Volta's mouth, the old Pikachu looked into the Tiny Mouse Pokémon's eyes and said in a serious tone, "Volta, do you still want a milkshake."

"Mmm hmm." she nodded.

"I'll take you back to the hotel and order you a milkshake at the café. We're going to sit down and chat for a moment until you're finish, then we'll go out to the store and look for snacks for tonight. Don't bring up a single word about my drinking, cause from this point on I'm not drinking a drop of alcohol as long as you're under my care. Period.

"Do you understand?" Tesla added.

A fresh tear trailed down Volta's cheek as she nodded yes, then buried her head in Tesla's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I left without telling you, I was just checking on a few things. Just how did you find me anyway?"

_"I followed your scent trail," _said Volta, _"You smell so nice, Tes."_

Tesla placed her on his head and walked off, she hadn't said another word till the got to the hotel.

**. . .**

_"Tesla?" _Volta asked as he carried her into the café.

"Yes, Volta?" Tesla asked.

_"Are you in tune?"_

"What do you mean?"

_"Not getting confused with . . . anything?"_

Tesla shrugged, "So far so good, but my mind isn't designed to function this long. I may be old, Volta, but I'm not losing my wits yet."

_Of course, _thought Volta, _He should've known better, but he doesn't seem to care anymore._

Volta recalled that Tesla constantly lose track of doing simple task. Sometimes when there was something in his mind, a fuse would blow and he would forget. Volta had to constantly remind him on what they were doing, where they were going, and how they're going to do it. Sometimes when Tesla tutors her on geology and astronomy, he would stop mid-sentence and exclaimed in Pokémon speech, _"Son of a b*tch!"_

Of course, this was humorous, but a part of Volta wasn't amused. She would bring him back on track and Tesla would continue, like nothing even happened. She wondered if his drinking was accelerating his brain's deterioration. Of course, he made promises but he would sometimes forget them. Like how he promised her he would go on the Ferris wheel in Nimbasa City, but later forgot. Volta hadn't mentioned it to him, they had a good time in Nimbasa City and she didn't wanna ruin it.

Hopefully there wasn't anything serious going on in Tesla's body. He said that the tiny robot bugs, these _nanobots_, would attack any illness in his system and fix him right up. But Volta wasn't so sure, as the nanobots couldn't fix his mind.

Tesla ordered a milkshake and it was made in minutes. He handed it to Volta, she sipped it. Lush banana and chocolatey goodness flooded her tastebuds, "You like it?" Tesla asked.

_"Has a solid feel to it." _said Volta.

They had a seat in a cushioned chair, Volta sat beside Tesla and rested her head against his chest. As she sipped her milkshake, she ran her fingers against the bumps of his ribs. They were more prominent now, she remembered that Tesla had more meat on him since Dixie. Why was he feeling so boney now?

Volta shifted her hands around his belly. It was hard, mostly around the right side. Something didn't exactly feel right. It didn't feel like a bone or anything, just some sort of solid mass in soft tissue.

"Is something wrong, Volta?" Tesla asked.

_"You were so plush when I first hugged you, now you're so boney."_

"Is that so?"

Volta didn't say anything, she sipped her milkshake while listening to the jazz music. After a few minutes, the cup was empty. She held it for a moment and looked up at Telsa, _"Who was your elder when you were growing up?"_

"My grandmother," said Tesla, "She was my Dad's mom. I never knew her exact age, but we had to help her sometimes when we're going somewhere. I remembered her having slightly bleached fur and a cloudy eye, she was so distinct that I could pull her apart from the crowd. My grandmother used to tell my siblings and I of stories about her childhood and heyday. She would speak with a smooth, fluid tone, working her magic into her words and memory till it formed good bedtime stories. On occasion, she couldn't remember having breakfast and she would grumble to herself about how she couldn't remember having breakfast. Then again, if she couldn't remember having breakfast then how did she bring it up, when she couldn't remember it at all?"

Tesla looked up and sighed, "I've never understood that logic."

_"__What was her end like?" _Volta asked.

"She passed away in her sleep. She went to bed with us one night, all fine and healthy. When we all woke up, she was cold and stiff. She died without us knowing."

_"How did you feel when she passed?" _

"A little sad, but was pretty much alright. Though my Dad had an emotional breakdown, he was back to his old self after a few days. Why you asked?"

_"That old Dixierat with the missing eye and hand," _said Volta, _"He's your own son?"_

Volta was referring to the elder Pikachu in Dixie National Park, Tesla nodded, "Yes, he is. When I met him, he was devoid of life. You should have seen his eyes when he discovered I was his father, they lit up like spotlights above a stage."

_"We went to Nimbasa City to search for Polly," _said Volta, _"He told you that was where he last seen her. Before we arrived, you were on top of the world. But when we left, you weren't the same. You never talk to me much for days until you," _she stopped herself when she realized she was about to mention him drinking, she sighed, _"You know."_

Tesla's own son had told him that he'd last seen Polly at the Nimbasa City Pokémon Laboratory. He had his hopes up too high that he might find something that would point the direction towards Polly, only to discover that the records were lost. It was a crushing blow, and it hurt him bad.

The old Pikachu picked up Volta and hugged her, "Maybe some day I would tell you all about it, but you're too young. Right now, let's focus on the present right now. Okay?"

Volta patted his back, _"Don't be so sad when I leave __you, cause I will always love you no matter what."_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon swore she saw a tear twinkle in Tesla's soft eyes, it would be days before she thought of it again.

**. . .**

Around evening, Ash and his friends came back to the hotel. They found Volta and Tesla, laying on the middle bed with all sorts of food around them. It was a mixture of fruits and dessert, such as apple pie, cinnamon apples, caramel coated apples, and of course, a box of donuts. They both stare at the TV screen, nibbling on dessert with neutral expressions. Ash glanced at the TV, it was tuned to the local news.

"How's your day?" Ash asked.

"Volta was being a drama queen," said Tesla, "Then nothing happened after that."

Cilan lifted up the donut carton and peaked inside, it was empty except with icing stuck on the carton, "How many donuts were there?" Cilan asked.

"12," said Tesla, "Volta had two, I ate the rest."

"Eating all that sugar isn't good for you, Tesla."

Tesla glared at him, "What, I can't have a lazy moment?"

"I don't mean it like that, all that sugar will make you sick."

Tesla thought for a moment, "To come to think of it, I hadn't pooped in 4 days. That may be a sign of constipation."

"Have you tried prunes?" Iris asked.

Tesla reached under the covers and pulled out a half-empty bottle of prune juice, "Taken care of."

Ash grabbed the bottle out of his hands and looked at it. The bottle was no imitation, it was 100% real prune juice, "Holy moley, Tesla. You sure have a big stomach."

"Pika Pika." Pikachu added.

"All Pikachus have big stomachs," said Tesla, "We Pikachus can eat till the cows come home, and boy it sure smells. Even worse with prunes."

Tesla was weird, he was always weird. Every time Ash saw him he always violating logic. Eating food not fit for Pokémon, getting wasted from alcohol, telling obscure stories of his past, and now here he was, eating junk food while watching the news like it was a movie. The old Pikachu didn't had a single care in the world besides the people and Pokémon in the room. Ash was worried. Tesla isn't young anymore, he's an old Pikachu who should be watching what he eats and taking it easy. But sometimes it was hard to forget that Tesla was internally young, thanks to the doctors cleaning out his blood and injecting him with nanobots. Sometimes Tesla acted like he was young, even moved like he was young. But his mind was still frail, and he was sometimes forgetful.

"You should go see a doctor, Tesla." said Ash.

"I agree," said Cilan, "These sudden rise and crashes in moods is often not a good sign, and along with your short-term memory loss-"

"They're going to prescribe me medication," said Tesla, "I know they will. I will not be indoctrinated into a system where they make money off of my health! My own grandmother lived a f*cken long time with no need of medication," then he added, "I am _not _preventing the inevitable, let it come unimpeded. There's nothing more my own body could do to me."

There he goes again, his usual excuses. It wasn't a surprise since he was born a wild Pokémon, and raised with the values as such. But no Pokémon should be this arrogant, "You can simply refuse the medication they try to prescribe you," said Cilan, "No one's forcing you otherwise."

"True," said Tesla in a calm voice, "Very true. But I was raised – no, scratch that – _trained _to obey. Whatever my trainer says me to do, I do it, with no question. Of course, there were a lot of times where I have a say but there were times that it was mandatory. 'A man chooses, a Pokémon obeys,' Irvin Westinghouse always say."

Tesla leaned back and sighed, "The only person who could get me to do anything at all is Irvin, and always will be. No other human being, not even Matt, has such influence on me."

_Maybe I do, _Ash thought, "Tesla, go see a doctor. You're sick and you know it."

The old Pikachu simply shrugged at him, "If I'm sick, then I should have died a long time ago."

"Then what would happen to Volta, what would happen to your own family? Bruiser, Ray, your son even? What would happen to them if you didn't come along and challenge the poachers in Dixie?"

The old Pikachu simply sat there in silence, he stared at the TV as everyone waited for a response. When a full minute passed, Tesla looked at Ash in the eye and said, "Well, Ash, if I hadn't come along then you would be in my position. Those poachers had guns, not Pokémon, and they would not hesitate to use it on kids like you."

"I had guns trained on me before," said Ash, "I'm no stranger to firearms, Tesla."

"Chu Pikachu." Pikachu added.

"Have you ever been shot?"

"No."

"I had, you've seen me get shot by Mark. You even seen what his father did to me. When you saved me in that alley, Ash, had you ever wondered _why _you saved me? Is it because I'm a Pikachu, or I'm a helpless outlaw whose trying to escape the Chair?"

Ash reached out and rested his hand on Tesla's head, "Deep down, I knew you can be saved. That's why I helped you get your pardon instead of turning you over to the police, that's why I pulled Mark off of you when he was trying to snap your neck."

Tesla's eyes soften and he bowed his head, "Do you even know what you're saving me from?"

Ash thought up an answer, he leaned over and whispered it into Tesla's ear, "Yourself."

**. . .**

Tesla said nothing more that night, after cleaning up the mess everyone went straight for bed. The old Pikachu slept with Volta in his arms, his mind locked in a neutral state, _Yes, _he thought, _Ash is a kid, but he sure knows his stuff. I'm surprise he ain't a Pokémon Master yet."_

_ Go see a doctor._ Yeah, just how many times Tesla heard that one? Irvin occasionally had Tesla get a medical checkup once a year, then once a month in his final years. Most of the time the doctors found no problems, though noted his cholesterol was a little high. They also found some problems with his liver, discovering a part of it had cirrhosis thanks to his drinking. Tesla had surgery to get the bad stuff cut out, that lost part had yet to grow back.

His liver was the least of his concerns, there were problems with his urinary track. Recently Tesla had trouble peeing, and he had to frequently go often. Was there something wrong with his prostate?

And what about his eyes? It had been decades since Tesla had his eyes checked, everything is starting to become a little blurred. He also had problems reading the tiny characters of small words, he hadn't had a problem with that before. Sooner or later he would need reading glasses, or maybe the eye doctor could build him a pair of bi-focal goggles. People would notice, it would make his actual age stand out more.

_My age is starting to catch up to me_, he thought, _If that's the case then-_

Tesla cringed when he felt his bowels acted up, seemed like the prune juice had taken effect. The old Pikachu jumped out of bed and silently crept in the bathroom. With the lights turned off, Tesla plunked himself on the toilet seat and held his breath as liquid feces blasted out of him like a fire hose.

A part of Tesla was laughing, yet another part felt horrible. The old Pikachu tried his best not to make explosive fart noises, but he couldn't stop himself from grunting. The room started smelling like death, the smell was so strong that it made Tesla wanna gag. The old Pikachu squealed when he felt solids blasted out. Heavy solids, not like sponge solids but _rock _solids. Then ice-cream soft solids. Oh boy, that was fun. He felt the snake slither out, but didn't hear it drop. Tesla didn't need to, it was out and thank Arceus for that.

The old Pikachu reached for the roll of toilet paper. Instead of the soft cushion of tissues, he felt the cardboard roll instead.

_"F*ck." _Tesla swore in Pokémon speech.

Well, he hadn't had a shower yet so...

Tesla got off the toilet and hopped straight into the bath tub he let the faucet run warm before turning on the shower. First he shampooed his entire body, making sure that no stray feces was clinging to his fur. With his tail sticking straight up, Tesla mooned the shower head as he scrubbed his butt with soap. How wonderful was that? Instead of toilet paper, he was using a shower to clean his rear end. Beautiful. Too bad the toilet didn't have a water sprayer built into the seat, he would love to get a good butt cleaning rather than using simple toilet paper. Toilet paper, no matter how soft, always irritates his sensitive touche.

The old Pikachu shut off the shower and wiped himself down with a towel, then tossed it in the laundry basket. He started for the door, but stopped, _Oh, almost forgot._

He turned around and flushed the toilet, Tesla held the lever down to be sure it went all down the drain. After a few seconds of swirling, something was wrong. He didn't hear the reassuring gargle. Tesla finally turned on the lights to see what was wrong. The bowl was full of brown primordial soup, all the way to the brim.

The toilet had clogged.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __9_

While Tesla was having his prune juice incident, Wotter and Smugleaf were wrapping up their latest hit. She watched the flames dance as they burn the body outside of town. Wotter simply sat by, not taking interest as he fiddled with the Oshawott's scalchop. It was smaller than his two scalchops, but felt quite familiar. How long had it been since he felt the scalchop of the Sea Otter Pokémon?

Smugleaf had other thoughts in mind. The hit went down as textbook, and she felt good tonight. Trevor Kingsley never knew what hit him. He was fiddling around with his desktop computer when Smugleaf came through the back door. The human didn't have an alarm system, the Grass Snake Pokémon simply let herself in through an open window and sneak into his kitchen. Strangely Trevor had his office conjoining with his kitchen. It was quite pretty with all the bright lights and wooden floors and granite counter-top. Trevor had a sense of style – for a technician.

She went in behind him with her knife, it only took her a brief second to jam it into Trever's brain stem. He didn't scream, that told her Trevor hadn't felt a thing. Smugleaf wrapped her vines around his freshly slain corpse and dragged him to the bedroom, where she wrapped him up in his own bedsheets. After washing her knife in his kitchen sink, Smugleaf hauled Trevor's body outside where Wotter took over. Both PRA operatives were silent as they carried the body out of Vegas City through a pre-determined route. Amazingly there weren't anyone in the streets, no cops or night-walkers, they could have taken the quickest way out and not even be noticed. But protocol was still protocol, there was no such thing of being too careful.

It took an hour to move the body. It was heavy, Smugleaf didn't complain since she used her vines for most of the time. Wotter grunted a few times, but that was when they were getting past obstacles. Overall, he hadn't broken a sweat.

When they got to the small clearing, Smugleaf turned over a hollowed out log. Inside were butane fluid and kitchen matches, a pile of kindling and firewood lay next to it. Wotter piled the firewood on the corpse as Smugleaf sprinkled butane over the corpse. She emptied half the bottle, spreading butane from head to toe. When they were ready, Smugleaf lit the match and dropped it on Trevor's chest. He went up in flames almost instantly.

As they watch the body burn, Smugleaf sat back, _"It's a beautiful night, Wotter. Look at all those stars."_

Wotter said nothing, the Discipline Pokémon simply turned away, refusing to acknowledge her.

_"What's wrong Mr. Discipline, you're never this grouchy?"_

_ "I'm fine," _growled Wotter, _"I'm just tired is all."_

Both Pokémon sat in silence for a moment, Smugleaf stared at his back for a long time before saying, _"You have something on your mind?"_

_ "Not much, though I do appreciate it if you don't be so nosy in my business."_

Smugleaf sighed as she turned away, _"Okay then, how do you want to write the report."_

_ "Went down as textbook," _said Wotter, _"Body is burned, no witnesses."_

_ "Not a f*cking soul."_

_ "Right, not a single one..."_

The flames crackled as the bed sheet burned away, the corpse underneath became charred, turning into a humanoid coal statue. Smugleaf turned her attention back to the sky, watching the stars twinkle 30 light years away. She and Wotter said not a word till the body became crumbling ash.

After cleaning up the corpse, Smugleaf and Wotter buried the charred bones and organs in the bushes. Both Pokémon let out yawns as they head back to Vegas City, when they got back to the safehouse, Wotter asked, _"So what did you do to the Oshawott cadaver?"_

_ "Played around with it till late afternoon," _said Smugleaf, _"Then I got bored, so I wrapped it up in a trash bag and chucked it in the dumpster. Not the nearby dumpster, no, it's _way _far out from our safehouse."_

Smugleaf hopped on her mattress and wrapped herself up in the Pokémon Center bed sheet, as she rested on the mattress Wotter grabbed Nobark's message and crossed out Trevor's name.

One down, two to go. Barry Rodriguez was next.

Wotter tossed the scalchop on the desk and went to bed, he had enough hardship for one night.

**. . .**

When morning come, Ash and his friends woke up to a horrid smell. Iris and Cilan covered their noses, almost gagging. Tesla was gone, and so was Volta. It looked like they had gotten up early and left for breakfast. But Ash wasn't so sure, this smell...

Pikachu traced the smell to the bathroom, taped to the door was a note. Written in cursive letters,

_Don't go in. Don't even_ peak _in. Leave it for the maid to find. - T_

Ash peaked in anyway, then gagged. He sucked in fresh air through his shirt and reached in to turn on the lights...

...The toilet was full of putrid feces, which had spilled all over the floor. The bathtub was in no shape either, it was covered in yellow fur shedding and more feces. Ash recalled the prune juice from last night, no doubt all _that _came from Tesla. With eyes bulging out of his skull, he closed the door and turned to his friends. He gasped for air, "Don't go in there."

"What happened?" Cilan asked.

"Tesla had an accident last night, remember the prune juice?"

That pretty much sums it up, Cilan covered his nose and coughed, "I never knew Pikachu poop smelled this bad."

"Hurry," cried Iris, "Let's get dressed and get out of here!"

"Ax!" cried Axew.

After pulling on their clothes, Ash and his friends rushed out of the hotel room and into fresher air. When they got down to the lobby, they found Tesla sitting on the couch with Volta by his side. He looked dead, while Volta was bursting with energy. She was rubbing face like crazy against his stomach. Tesla didn't seem to mind, he was simply staring at the wall with those soft eyes of his.

"Morning, Ash," he muttered as Ash and his friends approach, "I didn't sleep well last night."

"Ain't that obvious." said Ash.

Tesla groaned, "Okay, I'm heading to the Pokémon Center. Can you train Volta while I'm away?"

"Sure," said Ash, "What do you want me to do?"

"Train her for the real thing. If she goes down crying, you get her back up and push her on. Do it rough if you have to, just make sure she learns something from it."

Volta jumped up and cried, "Pichu Pichu Pichu!"

Tesla rested his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, V, I'll be back. It wouldn't take too long. Ash knows what he's doing, he's working to become a Pokémon Master after all."

"Pichu Pi?" she asked.

"Yes," said Tesla, "Like my own trainer."

The old Pikachu jumped down, "Okay," he said, "I'll leave you too it, see you this afternoon."

"Bye, Tesla." said Ash.

Tesla staggered on his feet, walking like a zombie towards the door. He looked worse than before, Ash wondered what went through Tesla's mind while he went through that nightmare last night.

_A man chooses, a Pokémon obeys, _Ash thought, _What does he mean by that?_

He turned to Volta and picked her up, "Had Tesla eaten breakfast this morning?" he asked her.

Volta shook her head no.

**. . .**

When Tesla arrived at the Pokémon Center, he simply strolled in with his head down. Feeling groggy from prune-induced diarrhea, he made no attempt to hide his distress. A part of him cursed himself for coming here, even though he was sick and needed help. The thought of being prescribed medicine was still on his mind, the old Pikachu put on a straight face and approached the reception desk.

Nurse Joy looked up and her eyes went big, "Oh my, what happened to you?"

"Old age happened to me," said Tesla, "I suppose it's starting to catch up."

"It's more than old age," said Nurse Joy, then she asked, "Do you need anything?"

"Check everything, down to the blood. See if there are any problems."

Nurse Joy nodded, "Yes, of course."

An Audino brought in a gurney, Nurse Joy picked up Tesla and laid him down on it. The Audino wheeled him to the backroom where they had him sit up. Tesla watched as Nurse Joy filled out a form as the Audino held up its monkey tail earlobe. The Hearing Pokémon pressed it against his chest and said, _"Breathe for me."_

Tesla took a deep breath, the Audino nodded, _"Again."_

He took another breath, the Audino nodded again and pulled its earlobe away, _"It sounds rusty, feeling any fever or coughing up mucus?"_

_ "No," _said Tesla in his Pikachu speech, _"Nothing like that."_

Nurse Joy handed the form to the Audino, as it took over filling out the form, the nurse picked up Tesla's hand, "Here," said Nurse Joy, "Let's check your blood pressure."

She wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Tesla's bicep, then put on a stethoscope. Nurse Joy placed the stethoscope under the cuff before squeezing the pressure valve. Tesla watched the needle rise towards and bypass normal levels, it rested at the edge of the red zone, "Your blood pressure's high." said Nurse Joy.

Tesla said nothing.

Nurse Joy pulled off the cuff and sat it aside, then pulled out a vial from a drawer. The vial had a needle on the end of an orange cap, she pulled it out of its sterile package and held up Tesla's hand, "Here, I'm going to draw some blood. You're feeling comfortable with this?"

"Yes." Tesla simply says.

She examined his arm, combing her thumb across his fur, "Okay, I found a vein. Don't worry, this won't hurt."

Nurse Joy stabbed the needle into his vein and dark blood filled the vial. It didn't actually hurt, it felt more of a scratch.

When the vial was filled, she pulled the needle out and placed on the safety cap. Nurse Joy handed it to her Audino and it took it to the next room, she then grabbed the nearby orthoscope and a fat Popsicle stick, "Okay, open your mouth."

Tesla opened his mouth.

"Holy," gasped Nurse Joy, "Your teeth is rotten beyond repair, do they hurt?"

"No," said Tesla, "They don't."

Nurse Joy peaked into his mouth, shining the orthoscope's light inside, "Besides your teeth, everything looks fine. Okay, close."

Tesla closed his mouth, then Nurse Joy checked his ears, "Wow," she said, "That's a lot ear wax, when's the last time you cleaned your ears?"

"30 years ago."

"That explains it."

Nurse Joy then shifted the orthoscope in front of his eyes, "Could you please take off your goggles?"

Tesla pulled off his goggles and Nurse Joy shined the orthoscope's light into eye, he flinched when the light burned his retina, "There isn't much dilation," said Nurse Joy, "And I could see your corneas becoming yellow, that's common for older folks."

Nurse Joy clicked off the light, leaving Tesla with a bright cyan blob in his vision, "We'll need to have a urine and stool sample, had you use the bathroom recently?"

"No." said Tesla.

"Okay, come with me to the bathroom. I'll have a pee cup ready for you."

"Pikap Pikap." Tesla said in his Pokémon speech.

Nurse Joy could help but laugh, "Oh that was funny!"

"It's a Pikachu joke," said Tesla, grinning, "It never gets old."

**. . .**

Ash wasn't sure how Volta would handle her _real _first battle, and without Tesla with her it was going to be harder. Iris decided to help her out by acting as her trainer. Both Ash and Iris got into place. Axew and Pikachu sat at the sidelines, watching with curiosity. No doubt they were wondering if Volta was going to lose her first battle. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon told herself it was nonsense. She braced herself, trying not to think too much of how badly things might turn out.

To make it easy on her, Ash chose Oshawott. Since he was a water-type, Volta had the advantage. The Sea Otter Pokémon and the Tiny Mouse Pokémon gave each other a stare down, but there were no grudges. Why should there be? As far as Volta could tell, she never hated anyone in her entire short life. Personally Volta liked Oshawott, he was funny and cuddly. Always happy, like her. Tesla always said they were derpy, sure enough he was right. Ash's Oshawott was indeed derpy, now how could she use that to her advantage?

"Ready, Volta?" Iris asked.

_"Ready." _Volta answered.

"What about you, Oshawott?" Ash asked.

Oshawott nodded, _"I'm ready, too."_

The two Pokémon stared each other down for a moment. Volta eyed her opponent from head to toe, looking for any signs of weakness. All she could find was overconfidence, could that be it? Hmm, might as well test it.

_"That's a very nice scal__ch__op you have there," _she told Oshawott.

_"Thank you," _said Oshawott.

_"It would be a shame if something were to happen to it."_

The Sea Otter Pokémon's eyes bulge, paranoia rose out of him like out of control silly string. Volta chuckled, this was going to be fun.

**. . .**

Ash noticed the question marks around Volta's head, popping in and out of existence. Then she hatched some sort of idea,Oshawott seemed nervous by it.

_Did she use Nasty Plot? _Ash asked himself.

Nasty Plot is when the Pokémon stimulates its brain by thinking bad thoughts, if Volta did use it then there was a good chance she got it from Tesla. Just how strong is she really?

Only one way to find out.

Cilan stood by as the referee, when he gave the go-ahead, Ash made the first move, "Oshawott, use Hydro Pump!"

"Oshawott!" he chirped.

**. . .**

Oshawott unleashed a blast of high-pressured water out of his mouth, Volta brace herself.

"Dodge it and use Quick Attack!" Iris ordered.

Volta jumped out of the way, the Water Gun streamed pass her and struck the ground. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon's body lit up as she charged at Oshawott, her legs moving fast as the wind.

"Counter with Razor Shell!" ordered Ash.

Oshawott pulled out his scalchop, a bright-blue blade emerged out the side. Volta felt a ping of fear, that blade sure looks scary.

But nonetheless, she knew where to hit him. She closed in as Oshawott drew back his Razor Shell.

With a single swipe Oshawott struck Volta, hard. She yelped, the Razor Shell scraped against her forehead. It felt like the edge of the blade was sandpaper or something. Oshawott knocked her back across the field, she flopped on her belly and rolled onto her back.

_Ow._

"You okay, Volta?" Iris asked.

Volta clumsily jumped back on her feet, _"I'm fine." _she said.

"Tackle, Oshawott!" Ash commanded.

Oshawott charged at Volta, running on his stubby legs. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon panicked, before Iris could yell out a command Volta dodged. Oshawott rushed past her, tripped, and fell.

Something popped in Volta's head, before she knew it her tail glowed white then became silvery steel.

_Iron Tail._

Volta swung it around and struck, Oshawott's rear end. He screamed as he tumbled back, biting the dust.

"Wow," Iris cried, "she learned Iron Tail!"

_Okay, _Volta thought, _I got it now._

Oshawott got up again, then turned to face Volta. She gave him a look similar to Tesla's leer, the Sea Otter Pokémon's eyes bulged white for a second, then shivered.

"What is going on?" Volta heard Ash muttering to himself, he then called out a move, "Use Aqua Jet!"

Oshawott pulled out his scalchop and raised it to the air, Volta jumped back when he shot up into the sky in a column of water. It circled around in the air, aiming for her.

"Dodge it, Volta!" Iris called out.

_I got this. _

Volta didn't dodge, instead she waited for Oshawott to come close. He closed in to the point where she could see the whites of his eyes...

...then she pulled a scumbag move.

She jumped up and grabbed onto Oshawott's back. The Sea Otter panicked as she steered him straight up towards the sky. Volta felt the rush of the Aqua Jet flow through her fur. It was cold, really cold. She couldn't see what was going on, she didn't need to. All she needed to do was clamp her hands on Oshawott's shoulders.

"PIC_HU!"_

Volta pumped Oshawott with as much electricity her body could allow. The Sea Otter screamed, the spinning increased and became more sporadic. The whole world went from blue to yellow. Volta pushed hard, her cheeks burned as her muscles strain to the breaking point.

This was a move she had seen Tesla done last Friday. He got into a dispute with a Patrat over who had access to the river. Tesla saw trouble, he had Volta stand back as he grab a hold of the Patrat and pumped him with high voltage. He called it Westinghousing, the process of electrocuting someone to painful proportions. Using Oshawott's own Aqua Jet against him, Volta tried her own version of "Westinghousing." It was terrible, her brain sprained a headache as she felt her breakfast come back up. Volta held on for as long as possible, then something exploded.

**. . .**

Ash watched as Oshawott and Volta spiraled in the air for a brief few seconds before exploding, he watched as both Pokémon fell and crash back onto the battlefield. Thick dust covered the battlefield upon landing.

"Whoa." Ash thought aloud.

When the dust cleared, Oshawott laid on his back with spirals in his eyes. Covered in dust and blemishes, Volta stood proudly before him. Smiling.

"Oshawott is unable to battle," Cilan announced, "Volta wins!"

"Pi." Volta sighed, then sat down on the ground.

Iris rushed up to Volta and scooped her up, "You did great, Volta! That was amazing!"

"Pichu." Volta blushed.

Ash got on his knees and picked up Oshawott, "You did good, Oshawott. Volta got stronger!"

The Sea Otter Pokémon came to, he looked at Ash in the eye and chuckled, "Osha."

When Ash sat Oshawott back down, Volta jumped out of Iris's arms and rushed over to Oshawott. She hugged him, sobbing, "Pichu! Pichu! Pichu chu!"

"Aw look," said Iris, "She's worried if Oshawott's alright?"

"Osha," Volta reassured her, "Oshawott."

Volta opened her mouth and bit Oshawott on the shoulder. At first, Oshawott panicked, only to realize it was a love bite.

"Volta," said Ash, "Don't bite him!"

Pikachu came running from the sidelines, he grabbed onto Volta and pulled her away, "Pika Pika."

"Osha Osha!" insisted Oshawott, as if he was saying it was alright.

Iris picked Volta back up, "Did Tesla taught you that last move?"

Volta shook her head, "Pichu Pi."

"We should ask him about it," said Ash, "That move did enough damage to defeat Oshawott."

Cilan nodded, "For a young Pokémon, she knows the right ingredients for victory."

Ash recalled Oshawott into his Poké ball and pocketed it, "Let's wrap it up till Tesla gets back, he has the final say in this."

**. . .**

It wasn't the most terrible health checkup Tesla ever endured. In part, he actually enjoyed it. The Audinos were serious, well trained, and well disciplined. The old Pikachu had seen them many times when he visited Pokémon Centers. Their plump pink and peach bodies waddle as they head from room to room, accomplishing mandatory task without breaking a sweat. Every time an Audino would look at him, he or she would give Tesla a cute little smile while its sky blue eyes shine like a full moon. During his checkup, at least two Audinos took turns tending to him. Sometimes they would team up when physically handling him. These Pokémon doctors, these Hearing Pokémon, could bloom any heart they touch.

All of Tesla's anger and frustration seem non-existent as the Audinos do their physical examination. They checked his reflexes, his taste buds, the insides of his nostrils, they even test the voltage of his electro glands. That test Tesla done superbly . . . the volt meter burst into flames.

They were quick in extinguishing the fire, Tesla couldn't help but laugh, which also earned the Audinos a chuckle.

They had him lay down on the gurney and began a torso examination. The Audinos pressed their hands against various parts of his body, even his genitals. Tesla let them touch him, gave them his trust. He rarely gave Pokémon his trust, mostly because a lot of Pokémon he met were either immature or unreliable. But these Audinos, they ran on reason instead of constant entertainment. Tesla loved it, even though they were finding one problem after another.

_"Oh my," _said the Audino as it pressed where his liver was, _"Your liver is hard as a rock!"_

_ "I used to be a heavy drinker back in my day," _said Tesla in his Pokémon speech, _"Of course, I admit on having a few drinks once in a while. But so far, I've been high and dry for a week. __I have never gotten around alcohol since."_

The Audino looked at him with worried eyes, _"An old Pokémon like you shouldn't be drinking this much, do you realize what you are doing to your body!?"_

_ "I do, you don't wanna know how much."_

The Hearing Pokémon stepped back and took a deep breath, _"Sorry, friend. I just never met a Pokémon this sick before."_

_ "Empathy is quite a powerful, isn't it?"_

_ "Yes, it gets to me all the time. Sorry, just sorry."_

_ "You don't have to apologize for me. You are doing a great job, Audino."_

The Audino took a moment to relax, then wrote a few things on a clipboard, _"Okay, can you please lay on your belly. I'm going to check your prostate."_

Tesla rolled over without saying a word, _"Take your time, I have no shame left."_

The Hearing Pokémon put on a disposable glove and pushed up Tesla's tail, Tesla relaxed as the Audino inserted its tiny finger into his rectum. It only took just a few seconds for it to make a diagnosis.

_"Your prostate's a little enlarged, that's . . . uhh."_

The Audino removed its finger and disposed the glove in the trash, _"I dread what we would find from your blood work, __in fact I don't wanna know. I just don't!"_

The Hearing Pokémon burst into tears, Tesla sat up and watched as its co-worker came running in, _"What's wrong, friend!?" _the other Audino asked.

_"He's too sick! His liver's nothing but a ball of scabs and his prostate is enlarged! I'm terrified for him, friend! I'm terrified!"_

The Audino patted the crying one on the back, _"Don't worry, just don't worry. He will be alright, the blood test just came in. Nurse Joy's going to bring it in and we're going to go over it, once we find out what's wrong we could fix it."_

_ "Okay," _it sniffled, _"That's good to know."_

Sure enough, Nurse Joy came in with the results. The Audinos stepped back, holding their breath, "What did you find, Nurse Joy?" Tesla asked.

"A whole lot of things," said Nurse Joy, "Your cholesterol is high, your blood sugar is hovering around pre-diabetes levels. Everything else is either too little or too much, just what kind of diet do you have exactly?"

"A diet that rotted my teeth." said Tesla.

Nurse Joy sighed, she picked up the form the Audinos had filled out and looked at it, "Oh gosh, cirrhosis of the liver, enlarged prostate..." she read through it more before slamming the clipboard down. The Audinos jumped, pressing their backs pressed against the wall as Nurse Joy say, "You're going to need surgery, Tesla. We'll start with cleaning your ears first, while we're doing that we'll print out a new liver for you to replace the bad one.

"But that's just the tip of the iceberg, Tesla. I'm afraid we'll have to keep you here for the time being. Due to your medical history and advanced age, you might seized up and we'll have an emergency on our hands."

Tesla frowned, not as bad as being prescribed medication, but...

_Well, sh*t. _

"I got some friends at the Red Rock Hotel," he said, "They'll need to be informed of this. I have a relative that needs to know, she's only a few weeks old and she'll be wondering why I'm not coming back. Could you arrange that?"

"Yes," said Nurse Joy, "I can. Tomorrow, we'll have an otolaryngologist come over and work on removing all that earwax. For now, you should get some rest, you look like you need some sleep."

Nurse Joy left the room with the results and clipboard, the two Audinos stared at Tesla as he sat there, processing the information in his already rusty mind.

_"Are you alright?" _one of the Audinos finally asked.

Tesla turned to them and spoke in Pokémon speech, _"That relative is my great-great granddaughter named Volta, she's the Pichu I carry on my head."_

_ "I've seen her with you just two days earlier." _said the other Audino.

_"__I made a promise to her that I would be with her in the Faraday Power Tournament, I'm training her for it. I can't keep that promise with her if I'm stuck in a hospital room for surgery."_

_ "Is there anything we could do?" _both Audinos asked in unison

_"Find my friends and bring them here. If this is more serious than it is, then they should know. I don't wanna let Volta down."_

_ "I'll go right away," _said one Audino, then it turned to the other, _"Can you hold the roof while I go out and get Tesla's friends?"_

_ "Sure, friend. Anything for you."_

The Audino left the room, her bushy tail flapping up and down as she rushed out the door. The remaining Audino turned back to Tesla and said, _"Okay, let me show you the room where you'll be staying."_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __10_

Ash and his friends were back at the Red Rock Hotel when the Audino greeted them. The Hearing Pokémon told Pikachu, Axew, and Volta what had happened. They all jumped out of the trainers' arms and followed the Audino out the door. Realizing how serious it was, the trainers followed them back to the Pokémon Center where Nurse Joy broke the news.

"No way," said Ash.

"We'll need to keep him here," said Nurse Joy, "His systems that messed up."

"Where is he," said Iris, "Can we see him!?"

"Axew! Axew!" insisted Axew.

"Here, this way."

Nurse Joy led the group to Tesla's hospital room. The old Pikachu laid on the bed, his glazed eyes blinked when he saw his friends, "Well, Ash," he said, "I can't blame you or anything, though you did talk me into it. They found out that my liver's failing thanks to cirrhosis, I don't know what to do now."

"Pichu!" Volta cried, she jumped on the bed and hugged her great-great grandfather.

"There there, Volta," said Tesla, "I'm going to be okay, things will be alright."

"What's going to happen to Volta," Ash asked, "What about the tournament?"

"It will go on," said Tesla, "We'll continue to train Volta, even if I'm sick in bed. I'm already trying to persuade Nurse Joy to let me go for Volta's training sessions. However she doesn't trust me, thinking I'll might bail out on her. I've asked her if she could have an Audino escort me while I'm out, Nurse Joy thought about it and decided to do it. Now all she had to do is find an Audino who would accompany me to and from the training yard, simple as that."

"What will happen to you?" Cilan asked.

"They're going to do a liver transplant," said Tesla, "They have a special machine that literally prints out organs. Heart, kidneys, colon, you name it. First they take a DNA sample from my actual liver and cultivate it in a vat of stem cells, then use the stem cells as ink and print the organ on a gel template. Quite neat technology if you ask me."

"Are you scared?" Ash asked.

Tesla shook his head, "No, I'm not. It isn't me I'm worried about, it's Volta," he stroke the Tiny Mouse Pokémon's ears and sighed, "I made her a promise, Ash. I don't want to break it. I am going to see her battle at the tournament with _me _calling out the commands, even if it kills me."

Ash walked up and rested his hand on Tesla's forehead, the old Pikachu groaned, "I know I'm adorable, Ash, you don't have to rub it in."

He pulled his hand away, "Sorry."

"Look, before the liver transplant I'm going to have surgery to clean out my ears. They're full of wax that had built up for decades. They're not cutting me open or anything, so I'm going to be conscious the entire time. The next time you see me again, my ears will be clean as a whistle."

Ash nodded, "Can I get you anything?"

"No, Nurse Joy won't let me eat or drink anything. They're going to prep me for the liver transplant and they want my GI tract free of digested food and bile. If push comes to shove, they'll shove a balloon up my ass and inflate it at the upper left corner of my large intestines. That way I won't defecate on the operating table when they give me anesthesia. But of course," Tesla added, "That wouldn't be necessary, now would it?"

Tesla grinned his rotten smile, Ash couldn't help but laugh, "Did you leave a tip before you left the hotel room this morning?" the old Pikachu asked.

"I did," said Cilan, "I took care of it."

The group pulled up chairs and chat with Tesla for a few minutes. Volta stayed by Tesla's side the whole time, not wanting to let go. The old Pikachu went on telling several stories of his heyday, most of which had to do with him hanging out with his old friends. He spoke in a calm, fluent voice, devoid of stress and anger, enriching his words with wisdom as they come out of his mouth. He went talking non-stop for two hours, until he yawned, "Before we wrap this up, how did training go today?"

"Oh," said Ash, "Volta battled Oshawott and won!"

"Pi!" Volta cheered.

Tesla just sat there for a moment, processing the information, "What did she do?"

"She grabbed onto Oshawott while he was using Aqua Jet and shocked him," said Iris, "It was kinda unusual the way she did it. We're wondering if she got it from you?"

"She did, you don't wanna know how," the old Pikachu sat up and said, "Volta's going to be battling electric-types, some of which may be three times her size. If she's going to hold out in the Faraday Power Tournament, she'll need to fight a more tougher opponent."

"What kind of opponent?" Ash asked.

Tesla looked at him, "She'll need to battle her evolved form, and defeat him."

All eyes turned to Pikachu, a drop of sweat trailed down the back of the Mouse Pokémon's head as he gulped, "If Volta can defeat Pikachu, then I can be sure she's ready for the tournament."

"Is that a little too much, Tesla?" Ash asked.

"Pika Pika?" Pikachu asked as well.

"It will be enough, if she can't handle Pikachu then she won't survive round one. I can guarantee it may be her only chance."

**. . .**

Later that night, Volta cried all the way back to the Red Rock Hotel. Iris padded her back as she softly whimpered into her shoulder, Axew offered her a tissue and Volta blew in it. Seeing Tesla sick in bed was hard on her heart, she couldn't bare it. She knew Tesla was sick, but not this bad. He was frail, old, straining himself to see her battle. He was putting his own health in jeopardy for her, but was it worth it?

Iris tucked her in the bed and stroke her head, tears continue to trail down Volta's already soaked face. Pikachu jumped up and laid down beside her, _"Don't worry, Volta," _he said, _"He's going to be alright."_

Mere words won't soothe her, Volta pulled the blanket over her mouth as she looked up at Pikachu. Her evolved form wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, _"You want me to hug you?"_

Volta nodded, then pressed her face against his chest.

As Pikachu comfort her, Volta ran her hand across her pink handkerchief. The soft fabric was warm and thin. She lifted it up to her nose and smelled it, a faint trace of Tesla's scent still cling to it.

_"You've been very good to me, Pikachu," _she whispered, _"I appreciate it."_

_ "Thank you." _said Pikachu.

Volta ran her hand through Pikachu's fur, _"You're so full of life and your heart's strong, __I can't say the same for Tesla."_

_ "Why?" _

_"He's getting boney, his fur's bleaching, and his heart. Oh, his heart. It's full of holes, where love used to be," _Volta let out another sob, _"And I only filled one of them."_

_ "He's going to be fine," _said Pikachu, _"He'll pull through."_

_ "He doesn't wanna pull through, Pikachu. I could sense it when I was hugging him. Tesla's going to drink, I know he's going to drink. He says he won't drink but I know, I feel it!"_

_ "The Pokémon Center is an alcohol-free zone," _said Pikachu, _"They won't let any booze come through the door."_

_ "That's not going to stop him, I caught him drinking mouth wash just a week after we left Dixie. He'll be desperate for it, Pikachu, he'll be desperate for it!"_

"Is there something wrong, Volta?" Ash asked as he pulled on his pajamas.

Volta just stared at him as if he was a ghost, Pikachu covered her head, _"I got this, Ash. Don't worry."_

Ash couldn't understand the words, but he got the message loud and clear. He laid down on the bed and stretched out his legs, "Volta's taking it hard, guys." he said.

"She's just tired is all." said Iris.

"A Pokémon like her needs her beauty sleep." noted Cilan.

_Do you guys ever shut up? _Volta thought.

They weren't helping making things better, they were downplaying it. Downplaying it hard. They know they can't help Tesla, there was nothing they could do. Volta wasn't stupid, their guise was so transparent that it might had been a window. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon pulled away from Pikachu and rested her head on the pillow, just as he pulled the covers over her, Volta asked, _"Could you sleep with me tonight?"_

_ "Sure, Volta," _said Pikachu, _"Anything for you."_

Pikachu pulled the covers over him and laid down, Volta watched as he got himself comfortable, _"These beds sure are soft." _said Pikachu.

_"Even better if they're warm," _said Volta, then she asked, _"Are you going to use a pillow, Pikachu?"_

_ "No," _said Pikachu, _"I sleep better this way."_

_ "A pillow supports your head, you'll strain your neck out."_

_ "I'm fine, Volta."_

Pikachu tucked his face in his arm as someone turned off the lights. Volta stared at him in the darkness puzzled, why wasn't he using a pillow? The Tiny Mouse Pokémon just wanted to reach out and tuck a pillow under his head, but she couldn't. That would be rude, and she was a good little Pichu. If Pikachu doesn't want a pillow, then he doesn't need one, _How odd, _Volta thought as she stared up at the ceiling, _Tesla always complains his neck hurts without a pillow._

The thought of Tesla made her cringe, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Volta closed her eyes and let her mind go blank, but she could do nothing about calming her heart. She rubbed her breastbone. Her heart hurts, maybe as much as Tesla's. Volta had trouble falling asleep, but she got there. When she did, the dreams were far from pleasant.

In the dream, she found herself in an alley with Tesla by her side. She had no idea how they got there, nor did she care. Tesla was drunk, drunk beyond reason. Volta grabbed Tesla's arm and tried to get him back up to his feet, but the old Pikachu just grumbled. He wouldn't move, didn't wanna move. Tesla was all boozed out.

Down the alley, the shadows began to swirl. Volta's eyes bulge out of her skull as the shadows flowed through the air like smoke, twisting themselves to form humanoid shapes. They had no eyes, no mouths, no faces. They weren't even there, just concentrated darkness. She tried to scream, but no scream came out. Not even a hiss.

The shadows started their approach. They made tiny baby steps, like they were creeping up on them. Volta grabbed Tesla's arm and tried to pull, she managed to drag him a few meters until his arm disintegrated into fur. She watched in horror as Tesla crumbled into a pile of yellow fur. His eye-goggles landed in the fur, it broke through it like it was bubble bath suds. Volta reached out and ran her hand through the fur, it turned to dust the moment she touched it.

The shadows were much closer now, more taller. They tower higher than the buildings that bordered the alley. Volta looked closely and could barely make out a face. No, it wasn't a face. It was just a pair of gray eyes.

Volta picked up the eye-goggles and hugged them as she watched the world turned pitched black. She squeezed her eyes shut, pleading them not to hurt her. A hand touched her shoulder.

A bright yellow spark soon followed.

**. . .**

Ash hit the light switch and jumped up. Volta laid in bed, her eyes filled with shock. Pikachu sat there, his hands were shaking as he struggled to figure out what to do. Ash turned towards the clock, it was one in the morning. He ran a hand under his nose, trying to shake off the drowsiness of sleep.

"What happened!?" cried Iris.

"Ew ew!?" Axew cried.

Ash said nothing, he just reached towards Volta and pulled her covers. The bed underneath her was wet with urine. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon looked down and saw what she did, big globes of tears trailed down her cheeks, "CHU," she sobbed, "CHUUUU!"

_It was a bad dream, _Ash realized, _a nightmare._

**. . .**

Just across town, Smugleaf was having a good time. As Wotter slept, she sneaked out of the safehouse and made her way down to the basement. The beam of her flashlight guided her way down to the musty bowels of the apartment complex. The air smelled like boiled cabbage and sulfur, mold grew on the wooden support beams as moss thrived on the concrete walls. Water from recent rainstorms collected in the low spots of the basement, stagnating with black toxic crud. Rusting plumbing pipes snaked down from the ceiling, leading through the floor down to the sewers. Smugleaf shined her light on one of the pipes. Brown muck coated the pipe, oozing all over the floor. She made the mistake of breathing through her nose, a sickly feeling twisted her stomach into a knot.

_Ugh, _she thought, _Yuck._

This place was where things go to be forgotten. Maybe during the apartment complex's operation, the basement was stacked with boxes full of junk and yellowing documents. It was a good place to have a teenage love affair, this was the place to have infinite privacy. Smugleaf turned off her flashlight, plunging the room into darkness. She listened for anyone hiding in the shadows, after five minutes she heard not a single quiver. Smugleaf was alone.

Good.

The Grass Snake Pokémon clicked her flashlight back on and head towards the back of the basement. An aluminum shelf was a white plastic trashbag, she grabbed it and gently sat it on the floor. Smugleaf pulled the plastic back, revealing the cadaver of the Sea Otter Pokémon.

The body was cold as stone and was rigid as wood. Its skin had already turned into a greenish-gray and its beautiful sky-blue fur was falling out. The arms, legs, and torso was starting to bloat, mostly around the belly. Smugleaf pressed her hand where its scalchop used to be, something inside swished like liquid jelly, giving off bubbly slurping sounds.

The Oshawott's face remained peaceful, as if it was sleeping. Smugleaf stroke the back of its head like it was a baby, then hugged it. It was a shame that this Oshawott had a sudden death, his ticker couldn't handle whatever shock Wotter gave him. If the Oshawott was alive, she would go all on out with it. But this Oshawott was dead. Dead Pokémon don't breathe or feel. But of course, Smugleaf wasn't picky who she cuddle with.

Smugleaf lost track of time from there, she couldn't remember the fun she had with the body. When the Grass Snake Pokémon was done, she stuffed the cadaver – with love – back into the trash bag and tied a knot into it, "Time to let you go now," she said in human speech, "I know it's hard, but nothing ever lasts."

The cadaver said nothing, it had no voice left. Smugleaf smiled and picked it up with a vine, then carried it back upstairs. She sneaked out around the back and made her way into the drainage system, Smugleaf popped out at the other side of the city, and after checking for any stray pairs of eyes she buried the body in a relatively full dumpster. She pulled as much crap over the body in case someone decides to go dumpster diving. Smugleaf wasn't worried if someone would find the body, even if they picked up traces of her DNA they won't have anything to match it with. As far as she know, she wasn't on file on any system. Even if they do find out it was her, the Unova police won't catch her. They never will. She had the backing of the PRA to be sure of that.

Smugleaf went back down the drainage system and took a different route back to the safehouse, when she got back Wotter was still sleeping peacefully. His face still locked in a disgruntled look. Smugleaf smiled, looks like Mr. Discipline Pokémon was having nice dreams. He looks so peaceful like his pre-evolutionary form.

The Grass Snake Pokémon went back to bed, she was asleep within minutes.

**. . .**

Someone shook Tesla's shoulder, he opened his eyes and saw the soft gaze of the Hearing Pokémon above him, _"Time for a bath." _it said.

Tesla yawned and sat up, _"Okay, lead the way."_

The old Pikachu got down from the bed and stretched his legs, the Audino led him out the room down towards the bathroom. It was a simple room, covered with sky-blue and white tiles. There was a vent in the center of the ceiling, humming away as it sucked air out of the room and blowing it outside. Tesla breathed, the air smelled so fresh that it reminded him of the Red Rock Hotel room.

In the middle of the room was a bathtub, filled with steaming warm water. A wooden stool stood next to it, at its feet were soap bars, shampoo, and brushes. Tesla pulled off his goggles and sat it on the stool, then the Audino helped him climb into the bathtub. The old Pikachu awed as he sat down, he felt like going back to sleep.

_"My name's Hipp," _said the Audino, _"I'm from the Nimbasa City Pokémon Center, I volunteered to keep an eye on you."_

_ "How sweet of you," _said Tesla, _"You'd just arrive?"_

_ "Last night," _said Hipp, _"The Nurse Joy here filled me in on what happened, she isn__'t happy with letting you step out__. She told me you were training your granddaughter for the Faraday Power Tournament."_

_ "Great-great granddaughter," _Tesla corrected, _"I don't wanna let her down on this, she wanted to battle and I am going to see her battle."_

Hipp poured some soap on a sponge and dunk it in the water, then scrubbed Tesla's back, _"Does she have a name?" _

_"Volta," _said Tesla, _"He's a sweet little thing, very bright and full of energy. She's quite an eater too."_

_ "Where is she now?" _Hipp asked.

_"Red Rock Hotel, with some friends. When she found out I'm stuck in the Pokémon Center, she broke down in tears. Poor thing, I bet she had trouble sleeping last night."_

Hipp held up one of Tesla's arms and scrubbed his armpit, _"I've seen a lot of Pokémon get separated from their friends when we bring them into the system, they always take it hard. It breaks my heart."_

_ "Are you male or female?" _Tesla asked.

_"Female," _said Hipp, _"Why?"_

_ "All Audinos look female to me, it always boggles my mind when I think of it."_

_ "I know that feeling," _said Hipp, _"Several of my co-workers are male and I always mistaken them as female. The steam coming out of their ears __was__ hilarious, __as embarrassing as it was I try my hardest not to laugh."_

Hipp peered in the tub, _"You're shedding a lot of fur." _

_"Long story," _said Tesla, _"I think I'm losing my fur, probably my age is starting to catch up to me."_

So far, Hipp had been treating him well. She was docile like the other Audinos and was just as loving. It must be built-in, no amount of training could induce that kind of behavior. Not a surprise, Pokémon were slaves to their instincts. The Nurse Joys in Unova made a wonderful choice in choosing Audinos as their aids, their kind-loving nature, plus their healing abilities, made them perfect doctors and caretakers.

_Might as well reward her for it, _Tesla thought, _Let's see how deep the genes are._

_ "My trainer used to have an Audino." _said Tesla.

_"Your trainer's name is Irvin, right?" _Hipp asked.

_"Yes."_

_ "I've heard back in medical school about his Audino, but never thought much about it."_

_ "Her name is Medic, but we all call her Med. Irvin got her when she was just an egg, when she hatched we tutored her in the medical field. Stuff about emergency medicine and Pokémon care, then we sent her off to medical school. Medic passed with flying colors, she became an important part of Irvin's Pokémon team: The Westinghouse Army."_

Hipp took interest, _"What is she like?"_

_ "Just as sweet and loving as all Audinos, but with two major differences. One, she's more obsessive in her practice and constantly studies the latest medical journals. She spends whatever free time she has reading anything medical, and only watches medical and sci-fi TV shows. I recall she constantly badger Irvin's other Pokémon about this and that: 'Don't drink to much alcohol!' 'Eat enough fruits and vegetables!' 'Don't pick your nose!' 'Don't even lick the floor!' Interestingly enough she never rant at me once, even when I get wasted in front of her._

_ "The second thing pretty much explains it, she is as lazy and gluttonous as Irvin's other Pokémon. I've never seen her drink alcohol, but she always eat cheeseburgers and fries on some days. In her later years, she started putting on weight and every time she sits down her gut bulges out. This was the same Audino who told us to watch her health yet doesn't do much to take care of herself, no wonder everyone tolerates her."_

_ "What was she like the last time you saw her?" _Hipp asked.

_"She was retired," _said Tesla, _"All her life she rushed to her friend's aid when they're hurt or sick, she even stitched up our wounds no matter how bad they were. She was good at her job, and she loved it. But as time passed, her performance deteriorated. She could still perform just as well, but at a much slower pace. When Medic could no longer keep up with the demands, Irvin officially retired her. She took it hard, upset about it for a week. But she soon recovered and spent her final days studying medical journals and slouched in front of the TV. I haven't seen her since Irvin passed away, so I don't know if she's still alive or not."_

Tesla turned to Hipp, _"You seem quite interested in her."_

_ "Why do you say that?" _Hipp asked.

_"The tone of your voice sounded like you're obsessed with her."_

Hipp jumped, _"Oh, uhh, the textbooks talked about her a lot. We Audinos were fascinated about her stories of how she healed Pokémon, strangely we never heard much about her personally. We've always imagined her to be the best but . . . we just don't know who she is."_

_ "The reason being is that her personality contradicts her commitment. I brought this up in a conversation with her one time, she simply told me, 'Audinos care for others, not themselves.' And then she went on taking a bite out of the most greasy burger I have ever seen while letting out a whopping fart. Holy damn, that was one of the most putrid things I have ever smelled in my entire life."_

Hipp scrubbed Tesla's head and chest, then doused it with water, _"My friends won't believe it."_

_ "Well, you can't get any other explanation."_

Hipp reached into the tub and pulled the plug, as the water drained she helped Tesla out of the tub and dried him off with a towel, _"Oh you look so clean and fresh!" _she said.

_"Uh, thank you, Hipp."_

After wiping Tesla's head, she handed him his goggles. He puts them on and blinked, _"You have pretty eyes, you know that?" _

Hipp giggled, _"People and Pokémon say I always have pretty eyes."_

_ "You do, they shine in the light. Makes you more adorable."_

The Audino didn't exactly blush but was touched by his comment, she led the old Pikachu back to the other room. Hipp couldn't stop giggling, she even broke in laughter when Tesla fluttered his eyes at her, _Polly is going to kill me for this, _Tesla thought, _But at least it's nice to know I still have the charm._

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__1_

Tesla's breakfast was an energy drink, a large bottle filled with bright yellow liquid. Hipp said he had to drink all of it. The old Pikachu sipped it first, it tasted like flat lemonade. He downed the contents into his stomach within half an hour and handed Hipp the empty bottle, when she asked how the energy drink was Tesla simply shrugged, _"Sour, but not unbearable."_

Just as the day was getting started, the otolaryngologist had arrived. He was an older gentleman with graying hair. Tesla instantly liked him when he saw him, apparently this man had a lot of patience. His name was Dr. Ricardo, he never said his first name. Hipp led Tesla to a room where Dr. Richardo sat the old Pikachu on the table, "Lay down for me, please," he said.

Tesla laid on his side as Dr. Richardo pulled a paper sheet over him, "I've never worked on a Pikachu before," he said, "so bear with me."

"Take your time, Doc." said Tesla.

"You can talk?"

"My trainer taught me a long time ago."

All conversation ceased from there. Dr. Richardo pulled out his ocular scope, attached to the end was a pair of alligator clips for grabbing the ear wax. He insert it into Tesla's ear and began to work. The old Pikachu almost fell asleep as Dr. Richardo rooted around in his ear canal, he could feel the alligator clips tug and pull against the buildup of earwax. First pulling off bits and pieces, then big chunks. Time passed as Dr. Richardo managed to dislodge the ball of earwax. At the moment he removed it, his hearing increased three times.

_Wow_, he thought, _I can hear!_

After cleaning out bits of remaining earwax, Dr. Richardo turned Tesla over and worked on the other ear. When he pulled out the plug, the world was filled with sound he hadn't heard in years.

"That was a lot of earwax," said Dr. Richardo.

Tesla grabbed his ears and cringed, "Please, not so loud!"

"Not so used to the sensitivity, huh?"

"My ears were sensitive enough. By the way, what is that humming in the background?"

"That's the air conditioner." said Dr. Richardo.

Tesla raised an eyebrow, "It is that loud? Oh damn, I dread what the AC in the Red Rock Hotel sounds like. This AC sounds like a freight train!"

As Tesla stepped out of the hall, he constantly pressed his ears. When Hipp tried to speak to him, he cupped a hand over her mouth, _"Shhh," _he said, _"Not so loud, the walls echo like crazy."_

Hipp gently pulled Tesla's hand away, _"Let's step out for a moment," _she whispered, _"and gets some fresh air."_

Nurse Joy looked up from the reception desk, "Don't hurt yourself, Tesla," she warned, "I hate to see you come back with a gash in your head."

"Don't you worry about me," Tesla said with a smile, "I'll be fine."

"You know I don't like this one bit, Tesla. But if it's for your little Pichu, then I hope she does alright."

**. . .**

Outside, Wotter casually leaned against a lightpole, pretending to read a newspaper. He had seen spy movies where spies would use local newspapers to disguise their espionage, sometimes they would cut holes over the eyes of faces and peer through them. Anyone on the other side wouldn't notice, a casual observer would only see an average guy reading a newspaper.

Wotter managed to get a hold of the latest issue of the _Vegas City Times_. He couldn't read some of the sentences, though he recognized the more simple words. Wotter tried pronouncing some of the words in his head, even moving his lips to speak it. He only succeeded in giving himself a headache.

_Smugleaf knows how to read this sh*t, damn I hate literature!_

The Discipline Pokémon shifted his gaze over the pictures. Not much interest him. There was the Faraday Power Tournament the humans were talking about, Wotter wondered about dropping this in the next report. Hopefully he didn't have to write it. Let Smugleaf draft the damn report. Besides, she _enjoys _writing more than any other PRA operative he knows. The book-smart Nobark Westinghouse couldn't bring himself in using a typewriter, or a computer, or anything that had to do with buttons with symbols on them. Wotter tried to block it out of his mind, refocusing on his objective.

Sure enough the old pissball was coming out, on _two _legs as always. Wotter grit his teeth as he watch the Pikachu walk down the sidewalk with the Audino. Good golly, that Pikachu had been around humans more than Pokémon. He even moves like humans, the way he moves his hands and the way he says his words show outstanding maturity. Wotter dared a peak over the newspaper as the two Pokémon passed by. The Pikachu's goggles glanced over him, then raised an eyebrow.

Wotter buried his face back into the newspaper, half-pretending to read its articles.

**. . .**

An alarm bell went off in Tesla's head, he silenced it and groaned, _"Do you ever feel like you're being watched?"_

_ "Sometimes," _said Hipp, _"Why?"_

_ "Cause I swear I've seen that Dewott before, but I just couldn't remember."_

_ "There's a lot of Dewotts in Vegas City."_

_ "Yeah, but I think I keep seeing the same one."_

Nothing screamed "I'm a spy!" louder than leaning against a light-pole while reading the newspaper. No doubt the Dewott had glanced at him, even giving him a disgruntled look. True, all Dewotts look angry most of the time. But this Dewott clearly was frustrated, the way he was gripping the newspaper with his nose dipped into it. Tesla wondered if he was a forgotten rival from his Westinghouse days, he had pissed off a lot of Pokémon back in the day but how often do they hold a grudge this long? It couldn't be that Oshawott that he'd kicked the crud out of, no way he evolved from being horribly injured. Besides, he _broke _its wrist and the Dewott had no cast. So it wasn't _that _Pokémon.

_"Don't think too much over it, Tesla," _advised Hipp, _"Just focus on the fresh air."_

_ "You mean the stale smell of asphalt and rotting garbage we call fresh air? Sure, why not?"_

**. . .**

Volta couldn't sleep for the rest of the night, even with Pikachu by her side she couldn't seem to catch even a little Zs. She couldn't stop thinking of Tesla, stuck in the Pokémon Center, maybe on the verge of dying. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon lost control of her bladder, and that wasn't the worst part. That following morning, she simply sat up and stared at the wall. She didn't feel like doing anything today, a part of her wanted to sleep but the discomfort in her chest won't let her relax. As Ash and his friends got up and get dressed, they didn't notice her distress until after they put their shoes on.

"Volta didn't get enough sleep last night," said Iris, "Look, her eyes are sunken in."

Ash picked up Volta and stroke her head, "Don't worry, Volta, we're here to help you."

_"Sure, you are." _Volta said sarcastically, another trait she picked up from the old Mouse Pokémon.

She wasn't hungry for waffles or cereal, her appetite wasn't feeling it. Though Volta drank her entire milk carton, she was extremely thirsty. Everyone around the table just looked at her, their concerns steadily growing.

"You gotta have something other than milk, Volta," said Cilan, "You're still growing."

Volta just looked at Cilan like he was a stranger, then turned back to her cooling waffle. She cut out a piece and chew it up, it tasted like a kitchen sponge. When she swallowed it down, it grind against her esophagus like it was sandpaper, then dropped into her stomach like a lead weight.

She couldn't have another bite.

_"__Tesla." _she whimpered under her breath.

"Yeah, Volta!?" Tesla's voice called out from the edge of the room.

Everyone turned and saw Tesla approach, an Audino following behind him. Volta's eyes went big. She jumped out of her chair and ran for Tesla, she leaped up into his arms and Tesla gave her a big hug, _"Tesla," _she cried, _"I missed you! I missed you! I missed you! Please tell me you're alright!?"_

"I'm fine, Volta," said Tesla, "I have to pull a few strings to get out, the agreement was I had to have an Audino follow me around everywhere. And boy, she can't take her eyes off me."

The Audino blushed, barely grinning a smile.

"Volta," said Tesla, "This is Hipp, I'm going to be putting my life in her hands when the time comes."

Volta leaped out of Tesla's arms and jumped into Hipp's, _"Oh you're so adorable!" _the Hearing Pokémon cheered.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon crawled up to her shoulder and whispered into her ear, _"Don't let him drink alcohol," _she warned, _"Don't even let him get near _anything _with alcohol in it, I've seen him drink mouth wash one time."_

_ "He's on a short leash, Volta. No way he won't fart without me knowing about it."_

Hipp shot a finger at Tesla, _"You're testing me, Tesla?"_

Tesla grinned his rotten teeth, _"Testing you on what?"_

_ "You know, I've heard that toot."_

_ "Well, Med's fart was anything beyond silent."_

Hipp broke down laughing, she hugged Volta and buried her face into her chest, muffling the laughs.

"You're in good spirits today, Tesla." said Ash.

_"Very good spirits." _said Pikachu.

"The Audinos were that comforting," said Tesla, "No wonder my trainer gotten a hold of one."

Tesla turned to Volta, "Alright, Volta. You're ready for training?"

_"Hold on," _said Volta, _"I gotta finish my waffle first!"_

"Well hurry up, we don't have much time today."

Volta jumped out of Hipp's arms and climbed back into her chair, she added a load of syrup onto the waffle and chowed down like there was no tomorrow, "Wow," said Iris, "She was merely picking at it earlier."

"She couldn't sleep last night either," said Cilan, "She was up from dusk to dawn."

Tesla shrugged, "Happens to all of us one time or another, but I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem."

**. . .**

For hours he ran Volta hard, the hardest he ever pushed her. The old Pikachu had Volta ran the kilometer again, she completed it without throwing up or complaining. After a quick rest, he had her do one hundred sit-ups, then one hundred pull-ups. Volta was so determined that it surprised everyone that she hadn't given up yet. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon was more exhausted than before, Tesla had her drink a full bottle of energy drink. She could barely keep it down, Volta bubbled some of it back up as Tesla wiped her mouth with a towel.

Concerned of Tesla's methods, Cilan almost intervened when Volta signaled she was fine. She hadn't thrown up. So far.

Hipp was more concerned than everyone else, the little Pichu was pushing herself to the breaking point. She spat and coughed as she struggled to get air into her lungs. Tesla patted her on the back, then hold her up, "Don't breathe too hard, you'll dry your throat."

Volta nodded and tried breathing through her nose, only to cough out snot. She spat the mucus on the concrete and muttered, _"I don't think my nose is keeping up."_

Tesla felt her head with the back of his hand. Volta held still for a moment, holding her breath, "Okay, we gotta cool you down."

The old Pikachu carried Volta into the restroom – the family room – and propped her in the sink. He turned on the cold tap, Volta yelped as ice-cold water poured over her belly. Tesla plugged the sink. As it filled up he scooped up cold water and rubbed it over her chest and back. The Pichu shivered down to her tail as her teeth chattered like a typewriter, "Try to relax, Volta," said Tesla, "You'll constrict your blood if you shiver."

Volta glanced at Tesla for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"Now you got nerves of steel right there," said Tesla, "Irvin had me swim in a near-frozen lake one time, and boy that was cold! If you go diving into a refrigerated lake, you'll come out fine as a fiddle."

_"Tesla?"_

"Yes, Volta?"

_"I have to pee."_

"Can you pee in there?"

Volta shook her head, _"The cold water won't let me."_

The sink high enough where it reached Volta's collarbone, Tesla drained out some of the water before plugging it back up, "Why?"

_"My bladder's locked up by the-"_

"Then unlock it, you've got to relax. You're going to get pummeled hard in the Faraday Power Tournament, if you relax you won't take as much damage when stiff."

At this point, Tesla wasn't sure what he was doing. But he spoke true. Having the body lock up before receiving a damaging blow would rupture blood vessels or break several bones. Relaxing makes the body more flexible, Tesla heard a rumor that a guy was tossed 200 meters in the air in a tornado and hit the ground hard. He got up with only scrapes and bruises, cause he was relaxed the whole time. How was he relaxed? Tesla wondered if he was unconscious. Yes, he was unconscious! When he got knocked out, his muscles relaxed, and so his body flopped like a rag doll when the tornado picked him up and spat him out. If true, then that showed how far a person's stamina could really go.

"Try to pee, Volta."

Volta held head low and clenched her teeth. Tesla reached up and grabbed her jaw, _"Relax everything," _he said in Pokémon speech, _"Down to your tail!"_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon breathed and exhaled, she sat there as if she was in a trance. Tesla waited for 5 minutes. Just before Tesla pulled Volta out of the sink, a cloud of yellow urine formed around her legs, _"There," _she said, Volta held her head up and looked at Tesla, _"I did it."_

Tesla unplugged the sink and pulled Volta out, "How are you feeling?" he asked.

_"Calm and . . . what is the word that starts with an S?"_

"Serene?"

_"Yes, that word. Serene."_

The old Pikachu wiped Volta down with paper towels, then had her sipped some more energy drink, "Ready for more?"

Volta eagerly nodded, _"Yeah, I'm ready!"_

**. . .**

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Tesla?" Ash asked as they head back to the Red Rock Hotel.

It was getting late, and Volta was sore to the core. Tesla was going to carry her back but Hipp carried her instead, saying he would "strain himself." The old Mouse Pokémon looked up at Ash and shrugged, "Yes, I do. I have decades worth of experience."

"You made Volta ran so hard that her leg cramped," said Iris, "I couldn't bare watching her scream like that!"

_"Me neither!" _added Axew.

Just an hour before, Tesla had Volta ran another kilometer. Just near the end of her run, Volta's thigh locked and she went down screaming. Tesla was by her side in seconds, he grabbed her leg and vigorously flexing it as he commanded her to move it. The cramp relaxed itself within seconds, but the soreness it left behind was all but gone. When everyone expected Tesla to call it a day, he had Volta ran an extra lap. She had done it without question.

"Why push her so hard, Tesla?" Ash asked again.

_"Why?" _Pikachu added.

"If she's going to battle against other Pokémon," said Tesla, "She first have to battle herself. What I'm saying is that she had to know her strengths and weaknesses, most importantly, she has to know her limits."

"You've pushed her to the breaking point." said Ash.

"Actually, I pushed her _beyond _that. Her leg cramps says otherwise."

_"What I want to know is why she didn't complain," _said Hipp, _"I've never met a baby Pokémon who back-talks or complain, she's so loyal and hardy!"_

_ "Volta's been bred for following orders, Hipp," _said Tesla in Pokémon speech, _"Do you ever back-talk when Nurse Joy gives you a command?"_

Hipp shook her head, _"No."_

_ "The breeders built that into your system, same thing for my family when they were in captivity. They were bred to obey, enough said."_

The group made it back to the hotel room, when they got in Volta was starting to wake up, _"Tesla?" _she asked.

"Yes, Volta?" he asked?"

_"What's going to happen to you tomorrow?"_

"Tomorrow, they're going to do a liver transplant. Once they're done sorting through the cells, they're going to add it to the printer and print out the organ. The transplant would take place once the print-job is done. I'm going to be sedated throughout the process. The doctors would then cut me open, pull out what's left of my bad liver, then stitch the new one in its place. Simple as that. However, if something goes wrong. I'm dead, no questions asked."

"Sh*t." Tesla swore when he realized he said that last part.

Volta broke down in tears, Tesla picked her up and rocked her, "The chance of me dying is pretty low," said Tesla, "There's emergency procedures in place to be sure of that."

_"Please, don't die! Don't die! Promise me that you won't die!"_

"Volta, I am not the one you should be pleading to. This is out of my control."

Tesla sat down on the bed and propped her next to him, "I've been cut open and stitched up so many times, I've lost count of it all. I'm no stranger in the operating room. Heck, I've been in surgery so many times that I've updated textbooks about Pikachu biology."

Hipp asked, _"After you get the transplant, will you go back to drinking?"_

Tesla just looked at her, _"According to my track record, I might have a beer or two a few weeks after the surgery. Maybe after a few months, I'll get downright drunk. If something goes badly for me – which always does – I expect to get drunk a few hours later."_

_ "__You sound like you don't wanna live."_

The old Pikachu got down and sat his hand on her shoulder, _"By the time you reach my age, most of the people and Pokémon you've cared for will be dead. I'm 107 years old, I have done all what can possibly be done. The world I see through my eyes is tedious and unfun, I dread every minute living in it."_

He then turned to Volta, "Maybe someday," said Tesla as he picked her up, "the world would brighten for me. But right now, family comes first. Get a lot of sleep tonight, Volta. Sleep in if you want, while I'm out cold practice controlling your electricity. Ash and Pikachu would help you on that."

Volta nodded, _"Okay."_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon kissed Tesla in the cheek and crawled up on the bed, then he turned to Ash, "Will you be there after I come out of surgery?"

"Yes, of course." said Ash.

_"We will, Tesla." _said Pikachu.

"When I regained consciousness, you're going to see me in a state where I've mostly regressed to my Pikachu behavior and instincts. Whatever vulgar language comes out of my mouth, hopefully will be in Pokémon speech. But if it's in human," Tesla giggled, "You might wanna consider leaving the room when that happens. If you do leave the room, I'll be pleading you to stay and might try to use guilt. Trust me, I've been through it before. Every time they sedate me, it happens."

Ash nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

_"When you talk in your sleep," _said Volta, _"Half of it would be about you giving Polly a-"_

"Volta!" Tesla barked.

Tesla and Volta stared at each other for a moment, then broke down in laughter.

**. . .**

_"__How did you find him, Wotter?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Scent trails and a good pair of eyes. You know, the usual."_

Smugleaf and Wotter watched as the goggle-wearing Pikachu and the Audino walked out of the Red Rock Hotel. They sat comfortably on the roof of a building, just across the street from the hotel. The setting sun shined on their backs, casting their shadow on the face of the hotel. They weren't worried about someone noticing them, the shadows were too high up for anyone to notice.

The PRA operatives pulled away from the edge for a moment and sat back, _"So what's wrong with that pissball," _Wotter asked, _"Why is that Audino following him around?"_

_ "She's wearing the nurse cap," _said Smugleaf, _"I think she's his handler. Something must have come up that required the Pikachu to stay at the Vegas City Pokémon Center for the night, and it's so serious that they had an Audino follow him in case he goes out."_

_ "Good educated guess," _said Wotter, he peaked over the edge and gave the Red Rock Hotel a second look, _"I think that's all for today, you wanna go after Barry Rodriguez now?"_

_ "Sure, why not?"_

Smugleaf and Wotter head back to the safehouse, the dead-drop spike they had fetched early this morning sat on the weathered wooden desk. Smugleaf grabbed it and opened it up, a small rolled up letter sealed with scotch tape fell out. The Snivy broke the scotch tape seal and a folded yellow card fell out of it, Smugleaf read the letter, _"Here is a photo of Barry Rodriguez, his address is written on the back of the card. For this hit, you'll be provided with silenced firearms and ammunition. Go to these coordinates here for further instructions. Signed, Nobark Westinghouse."_

Wotter groaned, _"Great, a f*cking scavenger hunt."_

_ "Oh, cheer up, Wotter," _said Smugleaf, _"Nobark's puzzles takes our minds off things!"_

_ "Easy for you to say."_

Wotter's geographic skills came in handy. It was just a kilometer outside of the city, opposite of where they burned the body. The sun had set by the time they reached the secret location. Under Smugleaf's flashlight, they found what they were looking for. There was a small pile of stones, piled up between a tree and a bush. Smugleaf centered her flashlight for the pile as Wotter pulled off the stones. Underneath was a sealed trash bag, and underneath it was a wooden crate, _"Shine that flashlight closer, Smugleaf." _insisted Wotter.

Smugleaf lowered the flashlight over the crate as Wotter pulled it out of the hole. The lid wasn't nailed or anything, it was just sitting there. Wotter simply slid the cover off. Both Pokémon grinned. Inside, snuggled in white cloth, were two pairs of H&K MP5s. With them, 2 suppressors and 10 magazine clips. Tucked in a corner were two boxes of 9mm ammunition, and with them, another note. As Wotter went through the gear, Smugleaf tore open the letter.

She read the letter aloud while keeping her voice at a minimum, _"Barry Rodriguez had suspected one of our undercover operatives of foul play. We have evidence that his relatives were aware of us, and so we must send them a message. Use the weapons provided to execute Barry in his own home. Leave the body there, but pick up all your brass casings. Recommend that you set your weapons at semi-auto and aim for the . . . __medulla oblongata."_

_ "The kill spot," _said Wotter, _"You know what that is?"_

_ "It's a tiny bulb at the end of the brain stem, just behind the cerebellum. It's responsible for all involuntary and automatic functions. I stabbed Trevor there last time, __that's why he didn't scream when he went down."_

Wotter chuckled, _"You sure are smart Smugleaf, compared to the half-wits at base."_

Smugleaf smiled, _"And you're strong and handsome, with just as much wisdom."_

The two looked at each other for a moment, then Wotter asked, _"So where's the address?"_

Smugleaf held up Barry's photo, _"Right here," _she said, _"Let's g__et to it__."_

Wotter and Smugleaf assembled their weapons. They loaded 6 magazines with the 9mm rounds before screwing on the suppressors, _"Sub-sonic rounds, hopefully." _said Smugleaf.

_"I'd be damned if they were."_

As Nobark suggested, they set their MP5s to semi-auto. They test-fired their weapons by taking potshots at a nearby oak tree. The sound gave off a loud ping that stung both Pokémon's ears, but nonetheless it didn't boom for flashed, _"It sounds a lot like a BB gun," _said Smugleaf, _"and a particularly loud one too."_

_ "It was too much too hope for sub-sonic rounds," _said Wotter, _"But at least the suppressor made one f*ck of a difference."_

Wotter packed the crate up and buried it back in the hole, after making sure the stones weren't too conspicuous both PRA operatives head back into the city. The face of their target burning in their minds.

**. . .**

Barry was a large man, his solid frame made up with an even balance of fat and muscle. But nonetheless, Barry Rodriguez was a gentle man. 35 years old and at the height of his career, he never gave much thought of the horrid things that lay in the shadows.

In his mind, he _was _the shadows.

Rodriguez had built himself up around literature, and had published a few stories himself. His latest count: 25 short stories and 7 novels were quite impressive. In his teens, he used to type his manuscripts out on a green screen computer and printing them was like riding a Slowpoke. The latest technology helped explode his career, writing on a white screen with black characters as the printer spat out documents like it was a machine gun going fully auto. Most of his novels involved horror, sometimes sick horror.

In almost all of his stories, the protagonist was a Pokémon. Usually a cute looking one that was very small and very emotional. Some of them would die in the end, often in the most unexpected – yet well hinted – deaths humanly imaginable. For the Pokémon protagonists that do survive, they would be left distraught, sometimes insane, for the rest of their days. If one would read his latest novel, _Fury_, one would notice how the protagonist – a Minchino – reacted so realistically while trapped in its cage as it was being stabbed by its psychotic trainer. Barry based that mediocre scene from a photo he saw on the internet years ago. He still had it, tucked away in his box of scraps. He had thought of getting it out again to help better explain what he was trying to say, but thought better of it. The photo was just too graphic to be viewed twice.

He had to give some credit to Danny Curtis, the illustrator who painted his covers. So much black, red, and white paint was used that each color could fill a large bathtub, "The other colors couldn't even fill a liter," Danny also added, "I didn't even use a cup of yellow paint."

The covers were so horrifying that it attracted hundreds, if not thousands of readers, in the first few weeks. By around the end of the year, half a million copies were sold. The hefty royalty check helped Barry redecorate his house. He made sure he avoided anything that was red though, the color still reminded him of his novels.

Barry was just coming home. His house, a modest one-story building with white sidings, was just coming up. Just as he pulled up on his bicycle, he noticed something was wrong. The porch light was out. Had it popped? Barry locked his bike against the porch column and approached the light. He reached up and unscrewed the bulb and examined it. The bulb was an LED fixture, a very efficient and highly expensive light. It was a little dusty from the weather, but it showed no visible signs it popped. Barry screwed the light back on and unlocked his front door.

Oh, that explains it. The power was out. Barry peaked outside at the neighbors, their lights were still on. Looks like a breaker had tripped, again. The breaker was a little outdated, and ever since the power company boosted their voltage it was always a little too much for it to handle. What was it, the third time the breaker popped this week? Heck, probably it was the kitchen breaker. That always trip. Maybe it was because of that refrigerator, it was so old that it was around since his father was a kid.

Barry grabbed his flashlight and made his way for the breaker box. It was situated in the closet of the laundry room, tucked well away from the water heater. The beam of his flashlight bobbed as he walked into the room. He opened up the panel and shined the flashlight over the breakers. Something wasn't right. All the breakers were turned to the off position, including the main one. None of them were in the trip position. Someone must had-

A sharp crack bounced across the walls. Barry smashed face-first into the panel before dropping to the floor.

_What just happened? _He thought.

He tried to move his arm, but it remained motionless. Barry panicked, he couldn't move anything. He couldn't even breathe. Barry tried to scream, but he couldn't even move his lips. He was paralyzed down to his core.

Then there was some voices, Pokémon voices. It sounded like a Dewott and a Snivy. Their voices sounded wrong, and sinister. Though he couldn't understand the conversation, the tone was clear enough. They were satisfied, sickly satisfied. Probably talking about him. What did they want with him? What did he even do!?

_WHY!? _He thought, _WHAT IS GOING ON!? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!?_

The voices soon faded as Barry slipped into unconsciousness, his dying neurons still sparking horror even after brain death.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__2_

_"__You've been worrying me ever since this morning," _said Hipp as she and Tesla head back to the Pokémon Center, _"I can tell you are sick. No, it has nothing to do with __your __feelings, I can sense it with my ears."_

_ "How often do you worry about anything?" _Tesla asked.

_"All the time," _said Hipp, _"Nurse Joy, though nice and warming, kept us on a strict schedule. A lot of patience had to be tended to, and when we don't have patients we clean the Pokémon Center till it__'__s spotless."_

_ "Do you ever get vacation?" _

Hipp nodded, _"We technically do, since we rake up a lot of overtime. They sent me to aid you because I have too much hours built up already."_

They walked most of the way in silence. The streets were deserted with only a few souls here and there. Tesla yawned. Exhausted from training Volta all day, he just wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep off the rest of the day. Hipp looked tired as well, she could barely keep her eyes open.

_"__How often do you sleep?" _Tesla asked.

_"Every time I get a chance," _said Hipp, _"Usually for 15 minutes at a time. I don't ever get enough sleep."_

_ "While they perform the transplant, go ahead and rest. You'll crash if you don't get enough shuteye."_

_ "But what if something goes wrong and they need my-"_

_ "You won't be in any condition to help, Hipp," _Tesla said sternly, _"If you're this stressed out, then you need to sleep in. You deserve a cool down period after a long day of work. By the way, when's the last time you sat down?"_

_ "Since this morning." _

_ "Are your feet killing you?"_

_ "All the time."_

Tesla stopped, _"Sit down for a minute, let me see your feet."_

Hipp gave him a look, _"What?"_

_ "Let me see your feet. If you've got any foot problems, you need to take note of that."_

The Audino panicked, _"B-but we gotta get back to the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy is expecting us to come back soon and I-"_

_ "If you're going to help other Pokémon, you need to help yourself. If you don't, you will fail them and put their lives in jeopardy."_

Tesla glared into Hipp's eyes until the message got through, she sheepishly nodded, _"Okay, okay..."_

Hipp sat down on a bench and held up her foot, Tesla lifted it up and looked at it. At first, nothing obvious. Just the usual pink foot with a heart-shaped heal. The old Pikachu flexed the foot for a few seconds, it didn't take him long to find the problem, _"Your__ foot is flat__," _said Tesla, _"The arch of your foot had collapsed."_

Tesla looked at the other one, _"And by golly, so is your other foot."_

_ "__The hours are getting to me." _Hipp sighed.

_"More than getting to you, they're killing you. Here, this should help."_

The old Pikachu took the tip of her foot and popped it, the Audino awed as the stress in her foot relaxed. Tesla popped the other one, Hipp blinked and smiled, _"Wow, that feels so much better!"_

Tesla helped Hipp back to her feet, she bounced on one foot and tested its flexibility, _"It stopped hurting!" _she said.

_"Tomorrow, after you see me off to surgery, head to the Vegas City Spa and fix yourself up. I don't care what Nurse Joy says. You are using your vacation hours on me, please use some of them for yourself."_

Hipp nodded, then give Tesla a hug, _"I will. Thank you, Tesla."_

_ "And thank you, Hipp, for being so loving for me."_

The Hearing Pokémon giggled, _"It's what you needed, Tesla."_

Tesla sighed, _"I hope I don't crash today."_

When Tesla got back to the Pokémon Center, they were in for a surprise. A large crowd had gathered around the entrance. The colorful clothing and many small Pokémon told Tesla they were Pokémon trainers. Some of them even looked familiar, it took a moment for Tesla to realize that some of the crowd from Stucky's tournament announcement. He could even recognize Cabot among them.

_"That's odd," _said Hipp, _"Why are all those people gathering in front of the Pokémon Center?"_

_ "Because Nurse Joy's probably barring their way," _said Tesla, _"I bet they heard what had happened to me, __must be all over the local newspaper.__"_

The old Pikachu looked at Hipp, _"We'll need to go around back, I just don't need this attention right now."_

Hipp and Tesla detoured into the alleyway and approached the back of the Pokémon Center. Tesla jumped up on the ladder to the balcony and pulled himself up, then lend Hipp a hand. He pulled her up with all his strength and she plopped onto the balcony, _"Wow," _said Hipp, _"I never thought I would ever be getting into a Pokémon Center this way."_

_ "This is how I leave some Pokémon Centers," _said Tesla, _"Always through a window."_

Hipp kept a hand on the safety bars as Tesla checked the nearest window, as he was about to pull it open he noticed something smudged on the glass. Two handprints, two _familiar _handprints. They were Pokémon no doubt, but what kind of Pokémon?

_"Looks like someone went through this window before us." _he said.

_"What's that?" _Hipp asked.

Tesla showed Hipp the handprints, _"Do you know what kind of prints are these?"_

Hipp examined the handprints, _"Hard to tell," _said Hipp, _"They look like they either came from a Scrafty or a Dewott, and they don't look that old either."_

Tesla placed the palm of his hands on the window's edge and pushed, the window slid open with little effort, _"Do they ever lock these windows?" _Tesla thought aloud.

_"The latch looks busted from age." _said Hipp.

_"Yeah, from age..."_

Tesla thrust the window wide open and climbed through, when Hipp stepped inside Tesla closed and tried latching the window shut. Sure enough, the latch had nothing to latch onto. It was broken alright.

Hipp turned on the lights and stretched her arms, _"How you're feeling?"_

_ "Hungry," _he said, _"Really hungry, I was thinking about peanut butter and hot pockets most of the time."_

_ "Sometime after the surgery you can eat till the Boufallants come home."_

_ "A pizza coated with nacho cheese would be lovely."_

Hipp raised an eyebrow, _"You don't eat Pokémon food?"_

Tesla frowned, _"Please don't get me started on that."_

**. . .**

The news of Tesla's liver transplant spread through Vegas City. So far it was mostly by passing Pokémon trainers who had visited the Pokémon Center. But when the news hit the local Westinghouse fan community, it exploded. Their social media sites and web pages began to crowd with concerned Pokémon trainers, their tone filled with hysteria and grief. Participants of the Faraday Power Tournament, most of whom never met Tesla, flocked to the Vegas City Pokémon Center to give the old Mouse Pokémon their support.

Nurse Joy was quick to shut the gates, screaming "Go away!" through the keyhole. But that wasn't good enough. Pokémon trainers began camping out in the street, breaking out outdoor tents and folding chairs. Many Pokémon trainers checked into the local hotels, including the Red Rock. Older trainers who have seen Irvin's performance on TV voiced their concerns on the radio band, one even been interviewed on Vegas City news channel.

Though not fully understood, someone had gotten a hold of the earwax the ophthalmologist pulled out of Tesla and posted them on eBay, "Two clumps of Tesla Westinghouse's earwax," the description reads, "Selling at around ten-thousand Pokédollars each!" 367 bids were posted within the first 5 minutes. After the 2,500 bid was placed, the earwax was sold at around 50,000 Pokédollars.

While Vegas City was tearing itself up over the issue, Tesla himself slept peacefully that night. After downing a bottle of energy drink, the old Pikachu retired under the watchful eye of the Pokémon Center Audinos. The window with the broken latch was sealed with a wooden dowel, preventing opening from the outside. Hipp took a roll of paper tape and taped the window shut, just to be sure.

Across town in the Red Rock Hotel, Volta slept without nightmares. The hotel staff gave Ash and his friends an earful that evening. Having to clean up the trashed bathroom and peeing the bed, the maid ranted her rage at them before storming out in the night. They later found out that the maid had decided to quit when the clogged toilet belched out its contents into her face.

When Ash stepped out of the room for a moment, he overheard several conversations about Tesla going on in the lobby. Concerned Pokémon trainers, a lot of them fully-grown adults, talked like kids about the fantasies they dreamed up while watching Irvin on the TV. Ash didn't say a word, he heard enough conversations to know that declaring any kind of association of Tesla would bring unwanted attention.

Completely unaware of Tesla's spike in fame, Wotter and Smugleaf kicked back and relaxed in their safehouse. After another successful hit, Smugleaf handed Wotter a thick bottle of brandy she scavenged days before at the liquor store. Wotter chugged a quarter down his throat and got a little giggly. For once, Smugleaf saw Wotter's spirits brighten. He went off singing a popular PRA song and Smugleaf joined along. The Snivy wound up singing it in human speech, which soothed Wotter's ears. He calmed down just enough to pass out on his bed, snoozing like a baby.

Smugleaf crossed out Barry Rodriguez's name off the list, now Cabot Richardson was all that remained. She circled his name and pinned the list on the wall with a hunting knife. After sipping down some brandy, Smugleaf wrapped herself up in the bed sheet and fell fast asleep.

**. . .**

Morning came, and it was anything but relaxing. When Tesla woke up, his mouth was dry and his stomach burned with hunger. The old Pikachu groaned. He licked his lips and rubbed his belly, he was about to call for room service when he remembered the liver transplant was today. Tesla pressed his belly, and felt a solid mass where his liver should be.

He was used to being cut open, but an organ transplant was new to him. The thought of having a body part – a body part his very own mother gave him – being extracted and replaced with a duplicate organ, made by a machine. Tesla felt a small drop of shame rose in his heart. He'd done this to himself, he'd drank till his liver started sputtering and now he was sick. Why shouldn't he be ashamed?

Tesla hammered the shame down till it was gone, he laid back and sighed. Thoughts of suicide flooded his brain. Once in a while, those familiar thoughts would rise up. Each time they come around, suicide seem more desirable. It wasn't because he had enough with life, it was a lot more than that. His body was failing, he suffered from constant depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was just as merciless. Tesla always asked himself how come he was still around when most of his friends had passed. Something was keeping him in this world, but why?

The hospital room door opened and Hipp stepped in, _"You're awake?" _she asked.

_"Unfortunately." _said Tesla.

Hipp held Tesla's hand, _"A lot of people outside are worried about you, they seem to be up all night. I just stepped out there and they kept asking me if you're going to be okay, I just don't know what to tell them."_

_ "And that's what's killing me, Hipp. Them nosing in on my business."_

_ "The operating room is ready," _said Hipp, _"Are you scared?"_

Tesla shrugged, _"Not one bit."_

The two Audinos wheeled in a gurney, Hipp helped Tesla into it and they wheeled him out of the room. Tesla closed his eyes and took a deep breath, _Well, _he thought, _There isn't much to lose here."_

When they wheeled Tesla into the operating room, a team of surgeons greeted him. They wore blue protective clothing, their faces hidden behind medical masks and hair hats. The Audinos rolled him next to the operating table and hoisted him onto it. Tesla stared up at the lights, they were so bright that it blinded him.

"You want to see your new liver before we put it in yah?" one of the surgeons asked.

"No," said Tesla, "I know what a liver looks like."

"Okay, then. We're going to need to take your goggles off, is that alright with you?"

"Sure."

Tesla was about to pull them off, but the surgeons kept his hands down. A pair of gloved hands carefully removed his eye-goggles, sending the world into a fog. Then they strapped a mask to his face as they pull a sky-blue sheet over his torso, Tesla could barely make out the doctor flipping the switch on the life support machine. It gave off an audible hum and the mask became pressurized.

"Breathe deep for me," said the doctor.

The old Pikachu breathed deep, it didn't take long for the world to become woozy. Within 10 seconds, the world blacked out on Tesla.

**. . .**

Cabot stood outside the Pokémon Center with the crowd, staring at the entrance as if expecting to see if it would open up. But it didn't, it stayed closed and locked. Somewhere inside Tesla's liver transplant was taking place and Nurse Joy was making sure it went off smoothly. He heard they were printing out a new organ for Tesla, it was said that Tesla was going to be the first Pikachu to receive an organ transplant. Already they had cured his old age and injected his system with nanobots, now they were giving him new organs. That was a lot of stuff for Tesla to handle, Cabot had no doubt that Tesla would manage it all. He was a tough Pikachu, he could handle anything.

Seeing that nothing important was happening, Cabot left the area. He walked across town to the Red Rock Hotel, he looked around for a moment, wondering if Ash was around. He checked the café and cyber lounge, they were empty. Just as he circled back to the kitchen, he saw Ash and his friends walking into the lobby. Volta was buried in Iris's arms, apparently still sleeping.

"I've heard what happened to Tesla," Cabot said to Ash, "There's a whole crowd outside the Pokémon Center worried for his life. You're feeling alright, Ash?"

Ash lowered his head, "I feel kinda bad because I persuaded him to go have a health checkup, I had no idea he was that sick."

"Pika." Pikachu sorrowfully added.

"Is there anything I could do for you, Ash, if possible?"

"No, I don't believe there is. But thank you for asking."

Cabot followed them into the breakfast room. As they got breakfast, he walked over to the newspaper stand. The latest issue of the _Vegas City Times _had Tesla's picture on it, in bolded letters the it read:

**TESLA WESTINGHOUSE, 107, RECEIVING LIVER TRANSPLANT**

He picked up the newspaper and took it over to Ash's table, "I've been in Vegas City for three weeks now, and I haven't heard one word about Tesla until he showed up last Sunday. Now I keep hearing his name everywhere I go, he must be one of those phantom celebrities."

"Phantom celebrities," Ash asked, "What's that?"

"Famous people from modern legends. You read them in books, but never heard a thing about them until they show up in person. It always creates a storm, a storm which could rage for a few days before dying out, then people just stop talking about them, simply moving on in their lives like they never even existed."

"Pikachu." Pikachu awed.

Cabot pulled up a chair, "How's his Pichu doing?"

"Yesterday night, she took it hard," said Cilan, "She couldn't sleep, but Tesla soothed her well the following morning, which helped her sleep the rest of the night."

Cabot turned to Volta, she calmly cut up her waffle with her knife and fork and chewed it up. She was well disciplined, her matters were off the charts. Volta glanced at Cabot, the black pearls of her eyes twinkled under the florescent lighting as she gave him a smile, "Pi, Pichu." she chirped.

"She's more of a person than a Pokémon," said Cabot, "Just like Tesla."

"I have noticed," said Cilan, "Even though he gets all riled up, she is so civilized."

"Though she acts like a kid most of the time." said Iris.

"Axew Ew." Axew added.

_She isn't afraid of me as before, _thought Cabot, _I think she finally trust me._

Cabot reached out and rubbed Volta's cheek with his thumb. She squirmed at first, then softly cooed in pleasure, "Piii."

"Tesla raised her right, she's so sweet."

"His methods are questionable," said Cilan, "Yesterday, he ran her so hard that her leg cramped. He simply stopped the cramp and told her to run an extra lap, _without _slowing down. I was appalled at it, and was even more flabbergasted when she showed determination. A Pokémon like her normally breaks down from that kind of pressure."

"I think it's courage and spirit," said Ash, "Just not the way I usually expect."

Volta jumped out of her chair and climbed up on Cabot, then snuggled her head into his shirt, "She likes you," said Iris.

"Apparently she does," said Cabot, he stroke the back of Volta's head and said, "When I first met Tesla, it was obvious he doesn't like my guts. He may say he had nothing against me, and say he doesn't hate me, and I would believe him. But I could tell that deep down he doesn't like me," he rubbed one of Volta's ears and said, "But I'm not getting any of that from Volta, she likes me down to her heart."

Volta grabbed Cabot's finger and gently bit it, Cabot laughed as she wrapped her tongue around it, "Please let go," Cabot said softly, "Don't gobble me up."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon let go of Cabot's finger, she then leaped up on his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek, "Pichu." she cooed.

Everyone awed, "I think you've made a friend, Cabot." said Cilan.

"I think she's more than a friend," said Cabot, "A best-friend."

**. . .**

Wotter went out again, this time Smugleaf came with him. When he saw her knife strapped to her back, he growled, _"Why are you bringing that knife!? You know that weapon will mark you!"_

Smugleaf just glared at him, _"This knife belonged to my-"_

_ "I know, your trainer, Alice. You've told me this about a gazillion times. But would you just leave it somewhere for once. If things go awry, you can use your natural abilities."_

The Snivy groaned, _"Well at least you get to have blades on you."_

_ "Scalchops aren't blades, Smugleaf. It's when I use it that brings alarm. Look, if you don't wanna leave your knife then don't bother coming with me at all!" _then Wotter added, _"I'll give you 5 minutes, if you're not back by then I will be gone till sundown."_

Smugleaf grumbled, then frowned. She held her head low as she walked back inside, within two minutes she was back without her knife and holster. Neither said a word as they step out into the open and walked down the street.

Wotter noted the look on other peoples' faces. Their eyes were rolling over them, not suspecting a thing. This was nothing compared to Soho – the closest town to PRA HQ – where a lone or group of Pokémon were seen as a potential threat, _Nobark's fault on that, _Wotter thought, _At least we can be out in the open and not be branded as terrorists._

_ "Great day out," _said Smugleaf after 10 minutes of silence, _"The sun is feeling nice as ever."_

_ "Feels good to be out of that musty sh*thole, does it?"_

_ "Yeah, it does."_

They passed by a local convenience store, Wotter noticed the local newspaper stand was empty. The Discipline Pokémon raised an eyebrow, _"No newspapers," _he said, _"I guess no spying today."_

_ "They're probably out of stock," _said Smugleaf, _"Maybe that 'you-know-what' made it in the headlines."_

Wotter snickered, _"A lot of people look dead today, I bet Vegas City got the message."_

The PRA operatives strolled by the park, walking side by side. Fellow trainers and their Pokémon looked on. The humans didn't take much interest in them, but their Pokémon grew cautious. They were sensing their true intentions, Wotter kept a neutral face as he passed by. He could feel their eyes staring into his back.

_"So what are you feeling for, Wotter?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"Something that hadn't came out of a can, I'm feeling more for fruit today."_

_ "What kind?"_

_ "Something solid, but juicy."_

_ "Which would be?"_

Wotter frowned, _"I don't know, something that doesn't turn to mush when I squeeze it."_

They approached the local grocery store, various kinds of fruits were displayed out front. Smugleaf looked around. Nobody was watching, nor were there any cameras. Wotter did a quick scan over the fruit, he laid his eyes on some pineapples, _"There," _he said, _"The pineapples."_

Smugleaf nodded. Using Vine Whip, she reached up and plucked two pineapples off the stand. Wotter and Smugleaf quickly disappeared into the alley before anyone could notice.

_"Did you see the shopkeeper?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"His back was turned," _said Wotter, _"So far, so good."_

Both Wotter and Smugleaf made their way across town, each carrying a pineapple in their hands. When they got to the park, Wotter whipped out his Razor Shell and sliced up the pineapples, exposing their cores.

_"Do you know that pineapples aren't a single fruit?" _Smugleaf asked as she bit into her pineapple.

_"No." _said Wotter.

_"They're actually made up of multiple berries that had fused together, which explains the texture and segments of the pineapple."_

Wotter looked at his pineapple, _"Now that you've mentioned it, it's quite easy to bite chunks out of it."_

_ "A bonus perk for your preferences." _Smugleaf smiled.

As they ate their pineapples, an ambulance drove by. Wotter watched it cruise by, expecting it to go into emergency mode. It didn't, it made a turn and vanished into the next street.

_"Do ambulances carry off corpses?" _Wotter asked.

_"Yeah," _said Smugleaf, _"They haul them off to the meat freezer for the medical examiner to tear apart."_

_ "If they found the bullet, would they tell what kind it was?"_

_ "Of course they will. __However, w__e used hollow-points, the forensics team will only have bullet fragments to work with. They might tell what kind of measurement the bullet was, but it would give them no leads. __Same case if they find the bullet in perfect condition, by chances they will not."_

_ "A human goes missing and another turns up dead," _said Wotter, _"I wonder __what__ Cabot would be like."_

_ "Tonight," _said Smugleaf, _"We will find out."_

Both Pokémon continued eating their pineapples in silence. When they were done, they dumped all their scraps in the nearby trashcan and had a drink at the outdoor fountain. Wotter and Smugleaf then started off at a random direction, both wondering what else there was to do in the city.

**. . .**

At the training area, Cabot watched Ash train Volta. Though he was doing the best he can, it was clear Volta didn't like his methods. She's constantly irritated and frustrated with Ash as he tried to take it easy on her, at times she broke down in the cutest tantrum he had ever seen. Cilan and Iris tried to calm her, but she kept pouting like the baby Pokémon she was.

Since Tesla instructed them to train Volta to flex her control of her own electricity, Iris called out her Emolga. The Sky Squirrel managed to calm Volta down, giving her a lecture of electricity. Volta listened, even nod at certain points. Pikachu then stepped in and shown her how to control her Thundershock. He had her got into a stance, then explain to her how to pace herself. Volta was eager to show off her abilities, she even sparked her cheeks to show her excitement.

Pikachu pointed at the nearby grounding pole, it was a simple lead pipe driven deep into the ground. It was partially melted and burned from electric-types practicing their electric-attacks. Pikachu told her to watch as he performed his form of Thundershock on the pole. A bright yellow arch of electricity blasted out of the Mouse Pokémon and struck the pole, it lasted for a couple seconds. Volta processed what she'd seen and copied Pikachu's move, she unleashed Thundershock onto the pole. After a few seconds, her cheeks popped and the Thundershock fizzled out.

Volta's eyes spun in spirals as she did a derpy dance, hopping on one foot and onto the other while waving her arms in slow-motion.

Cabot couldn't help but laugh.

"Well," said Ash, "At least she didn't pass out like last time."

"Pikachu." Pikachu nodded.

**. . .**

After a long day of training, Volta wanted time alone. She waited till everyone gone to bed. Once she was sure they were fully asleep, she sneaked out of the hotel room and head down to the lobby. It was largely empty, and peaceful. The fireplace in the lounge was burning, Volta sat in one of the cushion chairs facing the fireplace and watched the flames dance. As she stared at its tongues, she pressed a hand against her cheek. They gave off a prickling feeling as they slowly recharge. Volta was tired and hurting, and she felt ignored.

Tesla was somewhere in the Pokémon Center, probably resting now after his liver transplant. Volta wondered if he was still alive, her heart couldn't handle it if she heard word that Tesla died from – What's the word? Problems? No, that doesn't sound right – Volta touched her pink handkerchief and thought back at Dixie. She remembered how Tesla sang in front of the campfire, pulling strings on the guitar while the many Dixierats listened to his music. The song made her sad, yet it spoke the truth. Her family history was a troubled one, yet everyone embraced it. Maybe it was a good story to hear. Horrible, yes, but quite a powerful story. It could change the way trainers think about their Pokémon...

...If only they could get the _complete _story, which was why Volta was more than fearing for Tesla's life. He was the only link to their family's past. If that link was severed, the Dixierats would lose it forever. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon felt a tear trail down her face, Volta wiped it away with her wrist. She couldn't help but cry. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon whimpered to herself, trying to get it all out of her system. Tears dripped onto the cushion chair, absorbing into the fabric.

Then a hand touched her shoulder.

Volta jumped, accidentally discharging electricity. A high voice yelped, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon spun around and gasped, _"Hipp!?"_

_ "It's alright, Volta," _said Hipp, _"I came over to check up on you, I walked in and saw you crying."_

The Pichu sobbed, _"I'm worried if Tesla might die."_

The Audino looked around _"Is everyone asleep?"_

_ "Yes, I just came out here because I needed to think. Things didn't go so well this afternoon," _then she asked, _"Is Tesla alright?"_

Hipp smiled, _"The transplant was successful, it's going to take some time for Tesla to recover. Tomorrow, he'll be awake __but will be a bit-"_

Volta broke down in tears, she leaped up in Hipp's arms and sobbed, _"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me!"_

_ "I played no role in the transplant, Volta," _said Hipp, _"But, I did the best I could."_

Volta jumped up on Hipp's chest and grabbed her shoulders, _"When will he be out!? Please, tell me!"_

_ "He needs some time to-"_

_ "We're running out of time here! The Faraday Power Tournament's coming up in four days, he must be up and moving soon! If time runs out and he's still stuck in bed, I . . . I don't know what to do!"_

_ "Don't you worry about that, Volta," _said Hipp, _"He'll be released before the Faraday Power Tournament, you'll be back into his arms in no time. Oh, and by the way. It's actually _three _days away, not four, the clock just struck midnight."_

Volta turned towards the digital wall clock, sure enough the sky blue LED numbers read 12:00AM, _"Oh, I better get to bed."_

_ "Here," _said Hipp, _"I'll take you back up to your hotel room, it's the least I could do."_

Hipp kissed Volta in the cheek and cradled her in her arms, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon giggled as she snuggled into her side. Volta told her the room number, then drifted off to sleep.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__3_

As morning sprouted, Ash and his friends woke up roughly around the same time. Volta was still snuggled in bed, sleeping peacefully. When Pikachu leaped up on the bed and shook her shoulder, she simply swat a hand at him before burying her head under her pillow.

"Looks like she doesn't wanna get up," said Iris.

Axew jumped up on the bed and shook her shoulder, "Ew Ew." he told her.

Volta crawled underneath the pillow, her rear end and tail stuck out as she pretended she was asleep, "Volta," said Cilan, "Come on, get up now."

The Pichu said nothing, she simply buried herself further.

That's when Ash thought of an idea, "Okay then, I guess we're not going to see Tesla today."

Volta exploded, the pillow went flying as she made a dash for Ash, "PICHU! PICHU PI_CHU!"_

She buried her head into his jacket and sobbed, Ash laughed and scooped her up, "Gotcha!"

Realizing she was tricked, Volta's ears steamed, "Chu." she pouted.

"Okay," said Cilan, "Let's go have breakfast now."

**. . .**

He was feeling hurt all over. Tesla had lost track of time, and momentary, forgot where he was. The old Pikachu's eyes flutter open, but he couldn't make out the world. It was too blurry and obscure. It kinda looked like a hospital room of a Pokémon Center, why else would there be an anatomy chart on the wall?

Tesla lifted up his hand and saw a tube sticking out of it, like it was the mouth of a bloodsucker. It was taped firmly to his hand so it wouldn't rip out of his vein. The old Pikachu flexed his fingers to see if there was feeling in them. There were, but just barely. He couldn't feel much of anything else.

The one thing that hurt the most was his stomach. Tesla pressed a hand against his belly, he found paper bandages where there should be fur.

_Oh, now I remember._

Liver transplant, he was here for a liver transplant. But how long was he out? Hours, days? He wasn't sure. The old Pikachu sat back and grumbled. As if things couldn't get any worse, a loud piercing noise bombarded his ears. Where was it coming from? Tesla looked around, paranoid out of his mind. That noise, that damned noise! Tesla glanced around the room and saw the thin screens of computer monitors, stationed next to him on white metal stands. Were those dreadful sounds coming out of the machines? That had to be it. Yes, that had to be it. But how could he turn them off? He couldn't even move his legs. They were numbed from whatever drug they pumped into him. He tried to sit up, a sharp stab in his gut forced him back down. Tesla let out an audible cry, he wasn't going anywhere.

The door opened and a pink blurry humanoid came through, it was carrying a tray of what looked like food. When the smell of steamed rice and apples made him revolt, his stomach was just not into it.

_"You're awake," _said the pink humanoid, _"Tesla, it's me, Hipp! How you're feeling!?"_

Tesla just stared at Hipp, he couldn't think of a response. It felt like a part of his brain was still turned off.

_"Does everything hurt?" _Hipp asked.

The old Pikachu could barely manage a nod.

_"Here," _said Hipp, _"I got something that would help you."_

Hipp uncapped a syringe and lifted up Tesla's arm, she stabbed the needle into the tip of the tube and injected it into his system, _"There," _said Hipp, _"You should be feeling better."_

When Hipp lowered his arm, Tesla felt the pain in his stomach go away. His brain became flooded with bubbles and butterflies, he let out a soft smile and breathed.

_"Oh," _said Hipp, _"I almost forgot!"_

Hipp opened a drawer in the nightstand and pulled out Tesla's goggles, after cleaning the lenses she placed them back on Tesla's head. The world cleared, revealing Hipp's beautiful features.

_I didn't notice how beautiful her curves were, _Tesla thought, _Wow, look at that bushy tail!_

After making sure Hipp got the goggles on right, she withdrew and checked, _"Now look at that, you look so adorable! You__r__ friends __will __be over later in the day, Volta just can't wait to see you!"_

Tesla drooped and shut his eyes, Hipp pulled the covers up to his chest, _"Here, you gotta get something in you. Stay awake for a moment and eat breakfast, or I'll never hear the end of it."_

The old Pikachu's eyes flutter open. Hipp scooped up a spoon full of rice and raised it to his mouth, _"Open up."_

Tesla opened his mouth and Hipp fed him the rice. It doesn't have much taste, but it was good. The nausea in his belly subsided when he swallowed it, _"You're feeling better?" _Hipp asked, her voice full of glee.

The old Pikachu nodded, then Hipp fed him another spoonful of rice.

**. . .**

By around noon, Ash and his friends left the Red Rock Hotel for the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy let them in through a backdoor, as other Pokémon trainers crowd the entrance. She guided them to Tesla's hospital room, Hipp led them inside where Nurse Joy filled them in, "The transplant is a success," said Nurse Joy, "Tesla's still a little dopey from the anesthesia and the pain medication we're giving him."

Tesla sat in his bed, a smile stretching across his face. His belly was all bandaged up, sealed in place. There was some blood staining the area where the surgeons made the incisions. Under the influence of morphine and Valium, Tesla was winning jackpots on cloud nine.

"Hi, Ash," he called out with a high voice, "I've missed you!"

"Good to see you okay, Tesla!" said Ash.

"Pika Pikaaa!" Pikachu chirped!

Volta leaped out of Iris's arms and jumped onto the bed. She ran up to Tesla and snuggled her head into his armpit, barely containing her tears, "PICHUUU!" she sobbed, "PICHUUU!"

"Why you're crying, Volt?" Tesla asked, still smiling, "I'm okay."

"Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu!" cried Volta.

"No, I'm not drunk for f*ck sake! It's the happy pills they gave me, without them I would be in deep pain. I would've been hurting, Volta, but they helped me," then Tesla added, "I'm still here, Volta. I'm not letting you down on the Faraday Power Tournament, I'm going to see you through!"

Volta looked up at Tesla and smiled, "Pichu Pi!"

The old Pikachu wiped a tear off of Volta's face, "Now there's a good little Pichu."

"Audino?" Hipp asked Tesla.

Tesla turned to her, he muttered something in Pokémon speech. Hipp's cheeks flushed red as she covered her mouth. She turned away, amused and embarrased.

"Guys," said Iris, "Did Tesla told us to watch out for that?"

"He did," said Cilan, "I don't want to know what kind of vulgarity he just said."

"Aud Aud A-Aud!" Hipp giggled, she face-palmed as she pressed her head against the wall.

Tesla turned back to Ash, "Now I remember when Medic – Irvin's Audino – would stitch us up when we gash ourselves. The usuals were Vines, Wheero, Scales, I think she stitched up Aqua one time when her scalchop slipped," the old Pikachu sat up and readjusted his hold on Volta, "Now she took a particular liking to Nobark. One time he gashed his bicep after trying to handle with some rusty scrap metal at the local dump. Med went frantic over him, she wouldn't stop rambling of him getting tetanus as he stitch his arm up. Nobark just sat there and listen to her drone on, wincing every time she pricked his skin with the needle. I was sitting there with the other furry critters, watching TV while this went on. We weren't paying much attention.

"After she finished and patched the stitch with a band-aid, she just went off on him. Her voice full of worry, regret, I think she shed some tears. Just when she brought up a new medical lecture, without warning, Nobark gave her a big kiss in the lips. She shut up as hearts started fluttering overhead, and things got downright dirty.

"We all knew what was going on, so I simply shut off the TV and we all left out into the porch. After we shut the door, we peaked inside and saw Medic laying on the couch as Medic got on top of her. We were all cheering him on as Medic started moaning like-"

"Tesla," cried Nurse Joy, "That is _not_ appropriate!"

"What," Tesla asked, "A Scrafty having sex with an overweight Audino while their friends watch from the windows? How can't that be inappropriate? You tell me! I've seen Audinos of the opposite sex gave me the eye at times and I have to turn them down, as my heart belonged elsewhere."

Tesla placed his hand over his chest, like he was about to preach an anthem. Unable to contain her laughter any longer, Hipp bursted out laughing. Ash glanced at his Pikachu, the white of the Mouse Pokémon's eyes were wide with embarrassment, "Yeah, we better go," said Ash, "We'll come back when Tesla's sobered up."

The old Pikachu's eyes went big from terror, "No," he cried, he stretched out his hand and pleaded, "Don't leave! Please, Ash, don't go!"

Tesla yelped and grabbed his side, Nurse Joy stepped up and pressed him back down on his bed, "Okay, Tesla, you better rest. You'll burn yourself out if you don't."

"Do you have more happy pills?" he asked.

"It's not time for the next dose," said Nurse Joy, "I think I better reduce it, we might be giving you too much."

"Pika Pika Pikachu," Tesla giggled in Pokémon speech, "Pikachu, Pika Pikaaa."

Tesla's eyes glittered as he flutter them at Nurse Joy, she couldn't help but laughing, "Now don't go cute on me!"

While Tesla was distracted, Ash, Iris, and Cilan turned around and left the room. When they got back into the lobby, the gated entrance greeted them. Behind them were a hundred conversations of worried Pokémon trainers, fearing for Tesla's life, "I guess Tesla's having a great cuisine," said Cilan as he sat down on one of the sofa, "I've never seen him so happy before."

"Kind of a far cry from when he sang that song in Dixie," said Iris.

"Ew," Axew nodded.

Ash took off his hat and ran his hand through his raven hair, then put it back on, "Is he going to be back to his same old self once Nurse Joy wean him from the _happy pills?"_

"Whatever you mean by same," said Cilan, "What we've just saw was Tesla regressed to his Pikachu state of mind. Remember that he's been around for a longtime, Ash, way before our grandparents were even born. We don't really know what his behavior was like when he was younger."

Ash asked, "Before or after he was caged?"

That question, nobody could answer.

Nurse Joy came back to the lobby with Hipp following behind her, the Audino was still giggling from Tesla's absurd comments. She covered her mouth as Nurse Joy shook her head, "He's asleep now," said Nurse Joy, "Sure enough, the old Pikachu burned himself out. Is it alright with you guys if Volta stayed with him for a while, she held onto Tesla when I try to pull her away."

"Yeah, it's alright," said Ash, "When will Tesla be out?"

"Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. We've injected his system with a new set of nanobots, these robotic bugs should repair tissue faster and speed up the distribution of vitamins and minerals. We'll wait and see what happens. For now, you guys best leave. I'll call you guys when it's time to pick him up."

Ash nodded, "Okay. Thanks, Nurse Joy."

"Pikachu." Pikachu thanked as well.

**. . .**

For hours Volta snuggled beside Tesla as he slept. She buried his face into his side and smelled him. The old Pikachu reeked somewhat like hospital disinfectant, but deep down, his familiar scent was still there. It overcame her nose and filled her heart. Volta awed. He was here, still alive. His heart was beating strong and his system felt renewed. And boy, he looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He always does. Tesla always sleeps quite hard.

He was alive and okay, that was good. Volta wondered to herself if it could stay that way. The old Pikachu would have to handle serious stress in the days leading up to the tournament. She still had no idea what kind of Pokémon she would be facing. All electric-types, yes. But a good sum of them might be bigger than her...

...So just to be on the safe side, she had to battle and defeat her evolved form. The form that she must be before she could take care of herself.

_A Pikachu_, Volta thought, _How am I going to battle a Pikachu?_

Volta looked up at Tesla, the old Pikachu was starting to let out soft snores, indicating he was in deep sleep. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon centered his eyes around one of his red cheeks. Electricity always came out of those cheeks. For most electric-types, their electricity engulfs their bodies before they unleash it. However, Tesla could unleash electricity out his hands without having it engulf his body. How could he do it? What was his secret of being so powerful? Volta remembered his story about the neodymium magnet, and how it contributed to his electricity.

_Hmm, _Volta thought, _How could he do it?_

The Pichu looked at her tiny hand, then looked back up at Tesla. She reached up and touched Tesla's cheek. They were warm, full of life. Volta stroke the smooth leathery surface of the cheek. It was tough, really tough. How could it-

Volta's concentration of thought shattered when purple electricity went through her arm. The Pichu felt her body cramp, she arched her back as she felt her nerves get overloaded with high voltage. She tried to pull away, but she couldn't. She couldn't move her muscles.

After a few seconds, a bright spark of purple electricity knocked her flying across the room. Volta slammed against the wall and dropped on the floor with a heavy thud. Bright neon polka dots flooded her vision. She laid on her belly for a moment, moaning in pain. The electricity hurt, Tesla's electricity hurt . . . Oh no, did she broke his cheek!? Volta shot a look back at Tesla. The old Pikachu simply yawned and changed sleeping positions, obvious to what just happened.

Tesla was fine, but what about her?

When Volta climbed back to her feet, she noticed her hands were sparkling yellow. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon held them up, thick ozone flooded her nose as the energy in her hands sparkled and crack. Within seconds, the electricity in her hands changed from yellow to purple. The sound changed from electric sparkling to mechanical buzzing.

_"What's happening to me?" _Volta thought aloud.

With all her mental power she could conger up, she commanded her hands to stop sparking. The electricity ceased. Volta raised an eyebrow. She lowered one hand and held up her dominant one, and told it to spark. It sparkled purple. No, _buzzed _purple. It pulsed with a steady beat. Volta was amazed. She stopped the sparkling and touched her cheeks, they were hot to the touch.

_"What did I just do?" _she wondered.

Somehow she felt stronger, healthier, maybe even a little more derpy. Volta felt reinvigorated, assuming reinvigorated was a word . . . _"Even smarter." _she thought aloud.

And all it took was a few seconds to receive Tesla's power, or a rough version of it. Stronger electricity was good, but not good if dumps her internal batteries. Volta didn't wanna mess with it any further. It could wait. Maybe later today or tomorrow, they would go out into the training yard and she could test her newfound abilities.

She climbed up back onto the bed and snuggled back into his side, Volta smiled when Tesla wrapped an unconscious arm around her and pulled her close, _Even his instincts love__s__ me, _she thought.

**. . .**

Smugleaf gotten a hold of a police scanner. Wotter wasn't sure how, nor was he in the mood to ask when she came walking into the safehouse while holding the darn thing in her slender hands. She sat it on the desk and turned it on, then tuned it to the VCPD police frequency. There wasn't much going on, just cops talking code about petty criminals stealing candy from babies or mugging old ladies. Not one word was mentioned about the disappearance of Trevor Kingsley and the assassination of Barry Rodriguez, Smugleaf claimed they hadn't mentioned it in code either.

_"How do you know?" _Wotter asked.

_"Nobark had me spend time monitoring the URP and Interpol frequencies, I had to memorize all the code talk the cops use."_

_ "Where did he get the code lists?"_

Smugleaf shrugged, _"Internet__."_

The scanner occasionally burst static, Wotter suggest that they should connect the antenna to the apartment complex's plumbing system. Smugleaf whipped out her knife and started cutting into the dry wall, a cloud of mold spores puff out of the wall. The Snivy held her breath as she root around the inside of the wall until she something metal. She peered through the hole, what she struck was a metal girder that was supporting the floor above. Maybe it leads all the way up to the roof. Smugleaf ripped out some electrical cord out of the wall and slashed them to size, then chiseled off the insulation at their ends. She then wrapped one end to the scanner's antenna and hooked the other end onto the girder. Smugleaf had no tape, so she had to make sure the wire was secured to the girder's bolt. When everything was set, the Grass Snake Pokémon turned on the scanner and it came out clear.

_"Well that worked." _Smugleaf simply says.

Wotter simply grunt, _"Course it work, now we could get a regular radio in here and not worry about the damn static."_

_ "But where will we get the batteries," _Smugleaf asked, _"I don't know how long the batteries in this scanner will last, we've got to use this sparingly."_

Smugleaf turned it off and sat back down on her mattress, _"Remember yesterday night when we got drunk?"_

_ "No," _said Wotter, _"All I remember is getting a splitting headache when I woke up the next morning."_

_ "You were so fun," _said Smugleaf, _"I'm amazed you hadn't broken down in a drunken rage."_

_ "Why would I? I've got nothing to be mad at."_

Smugleaf sat up and looked at Wotter, _"You're always mad at me, or you sound like it."_

_ "I'm always mad at everybody, damn habit is built deep into my blood. F*ck, a f*__cking smile doesn't feel natural on my face."_

The Grass Snake Pokémon's smug slowly shifted to a frown, she looked away and sighed, _"We both had a time where we felt truly happy, __but that__ was so long ago."_

_ "Smugleaf," _said Wotter, _"You're always happy."_

Smugleaf shook her head, _"I mean _true _happiness, when we were loved."_

That touched a rough subject between them. Both Smugleaf and Wotter were born in captivity, both were originally brought up as starter Pokémon. Both were – at one time – loved and adored by their trainers. That was where all similarities ended, what divided the two was how the bond between their trainers broke. Smugleaf's trainer was killed by a wild Pokémon, while Wotter's trainer started abusing him after a Pokémon battle mishap. Upon hearing the word "loved," the Dewott glared at Smugleaf. All too familiar anger rose within his chest, _"Don't you _dare _mention that, Smugleaf!"_

_ "It hurts, does it?"_

Wotter growled again, _"Smug-"_

_ "Hear me out, Wotter!" _she barked, _"Do you ever dream of someone hugging and petting you, give you food every day and a place to sleep every night. Do you ever dreamed of someone taking care of you?"_

The Discipline Pokémon's eyes burned with rage. Tears started building in them, Wotter squeezed his eyes shut and turned away, _"Yes, yes I do."_

_ "__You ever thought of having a family, Wotter?" _Smugleaf asked.

Wotter's voice boomed, echoing madly inside the safehouse. Smugleaf threw her back against the wall as the Dewott raged, _"NO! I can't stand Oshawotts, they're so f*cking retarded that they can't even open a f*cking jar!"_

The Discipline Pokémon punched a hole in the wall. Several boards eerily creaked, Wotter and Smugleaf held their breath and listened.

They waited for a few seconds, the creaking settled down and the whole building went inert. Wotter pulled his fist out of the wall and sobbed, _"Why did my trainer do that? Why did he have to use Epson salt __in places where it don't belong__!?"_

Smugleaf felt a tear trail down her face as Wotter broke down crying, he laid down on his mattress and sobbed huge waterfalls of tears. The Snivy got up and picked up her blanket, then draped it over Wotter. His crying softened as he buried his head in the sheet. Smugleaf laid back down on her mattress, listening to Wotter's cries until they fizzled into silence.

**. . .**

Tesla spent the rest of the day sleeping, occasionally the Audinos woke him up when it was time to eat. He asked for hot-pockets, chocolate mochas, any food or drinks that had a loving taste to it and leaves a yummy feeling in his belly. The Hearing Pokémon, including Hipp, politely refused, claiming that his health was too sensitive for anything high in fat or sugar. He was disappointed at first, until they gave him a little more Valium.

_"You know what," _he said as the Valium took hold, _"I take it back, this Valium should do it."_

The old Pikachu hadn't ask for food for the rest of the day.

Volta had to leave the room when the Audinos were servicing him. She was able eat some apples, bright green golden delicious that tasted _way_ more than maple syrup. Hipp poured her a glass of apple cider and dropped an apple slice in it, then handed it to the Pichu. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon just couldn't get enough, the sour – yet sweet taste – was better than anything she had ever eaten before. Volta wanted more, she begged Hipp for more. Not surprisingly, Hipp refused, saying its high on sugar. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon decided to turn up the charm. She got down to her knees and widened her eyes, the glazed look made Hipp squirm. The Audino tried looking away, but Volta pressed on. She even managed to conger up a tear, it trailed down her face, amplifying her charm.

Hipp just couldn't ignore it, it was too much. So when Nurse Joy wasn't looking, she grabbed a bottle of apple juice and the gallon of apple cider. She mixed half and half into a tall glass, then gave that to Volta. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon drank it down, her belly bloated as she finished the mixed-drink within 5 minutes. Satisfied, Volta rubbed her tummy and yawned. Hipp took her back to Tesla where she napped for an hour. Suddenly she burst out of the hospital room and made a bee-line for the restroom. Hipp rushed into the restroom, wondering if she was alright. She was, she was simply peeing out a swimming pool in one of the toilet stalls. When she was done, Volta flushed the toilet and stepped out, _"That came out fast," _she said, _"Boy I pissed out a storm!"_

_ "Volta," _cried Hipp, _"Watch your language!"_

Volta gave Hipp a look, that same look Tesla gives when someone pissed him off, _"__Oh," _she said, _"So that's how it is, huh? I may be cute and adorable, but I was taught to read and write! Now don't you get me started on language!"_

Both Hipp and Volta stared at each other for a moment, then broke down in laughter. The Audino carried the Pichu back to Tesla and laid her next to him. When Hipp left the hospital room, Tesla's eyes flutter open and yawned, "Hey, Volta." he said.

_"Tesla," _Volta asked, _"Can you tell me a story?"_

"Sure," said Tesla, "Now have I told you about that time where I..."

As Tesla's voice droned on, Volta listened to every word. Within minutes, his voice just became noise and she dosed off to sleep.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__4_

Tesla woke up the next day feeling revitalized. He felt more . . . healthier, no headaches or intestinal problems, not even the familiar aches and pains in his joints either. The old Pikachu stared at the ceiling for a moment, he dragged his fingers across the bandage and felt where his liver was. The stitches burned, but were bearable. He sat up, wincing at the sharp pain in his gut as he managed to sit up.

And there laid Volta, sleeping by his side.

The old Pikachu's heart warmed, he stroke the Pichu's ears and pet her back. Volta's eyes pry open for a second, then closed again. She shifted to a new sleeping position, grumbling under her breath.

_She was here for me_, Tesla thought, _Volta was here for me._

Tesla couldn't help but scoop Volta into his arms, he cradled her and rocked her back and forth. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon's puffs of breath blew gently across his chest, Tesla hoisted her up and smelled her forehead. The faint scent of bubblegum was still there, it almost smelled as strong as the night he gave her the bath. Tesla pulled her up and pressed his ear against her chest. There, beating in fast tiny throbs, her heart pulsed with life. The old Pikachu's great-great granddaughter was so young and precious. She wasn't exactly pure, since she knows a little bit too much "grown-up stuff," but her heart was good as it can be.

Volta let out a tiny yawn, her eyes flutter open, this time staying open. Those tiny black marbles looked up at Tesla, sparkling cuteness as she said, _"Morning, Tesla."_

"Morning, Volta," said Tesla, "How are you feeling?"

_"Great," _she chirped, _"I'm feeling great because you're feeling great! I can tell, your heart sounds fine!"_

"I'm not in a hospital bed because of my heart, Volta," said Tesla, "I'm here because of my liver. I think it's working perfectly, but I don't think I would be spending the night elsewhere for a few days. Nurse Joy would need to observe me for a while in case something else breaks, then we'll be free to leave Vegas City," then he added, "In the meantime, we've got the Faraday Power Tournament to worry about. You're feeling up for it?"

Volta nodded, _"Yeah!"_

"Okay, let's head for the lobby and see if Nurse Joy's awake."

Volta climbed up on Tesla's head and got settled in, the old Pikachu then got down from the bed and left the hospital room. Nurse Joy was just walking into the lobby, yawning as she was about to sit down behind the reception desk. When she saw Tesla, the nurse nearly jumped out of her seat, "Tesla," she said, "How you're feeling?"

"Better now," said Tesla, "A little sore, but there's nothing too much to handle."

"We've injected an upgraded version of nanobots into your bloodstream, I guess they're working as they should."

Tesla felt a ping of resentment, _Upgraded nanobots? Great, just great. _

He kept a neutral face and asked, "What was the upgrade?"

"They should help you recover from your injuries faster," said Nurse Joy, "That's why you're up and walking, and not glued to your bed."

"Am I free to leave?"

"We can't let you go yet. We'll need to keep an eye on you to see how your immune system is handling your new liver, if it is rejecting your-"

"Nurse Joy," said Tesla, "Please, don't make this Pokémon Center my prison. My great-great granddaughter has a dream to accomplish and I have to be there for her. If I break down and crash afterwards, then so be it. I'm not dying till I see my loved one battle," then he asked, "If Hipp's still around, she can follow me around like yesterday. By the end of the day, I'll come back to the Pokémon Center and you can stare at me as long as you want. Just please, Nurse Joy, I know it's your duty to help sick and injured Pokémon but you can't keep me healthy forever. If I'm going to die, then I'm gonna die."

The whole room fell silent, Tesla and Nurse Joy stared at each other for a full minute. Volta cringed and gripped Tesla's head, waiting to see what would happen. She didn't have to wait long.

"Your very noble, Tesla," said Nurse Joy, breaking the silence, "I've read your background, you were taken away from your family and you hadn't met any of your children."

"I've met one of them," said Tesla, "My son's around the age when my grandmother passed away. He's frail, sick, missing an eye and a hand. When I saw him for the first time..."

Tesla's voice trailed off, he simply shook his head, "I, uh, don't want to talk about it. Not now. But I can say that my son will die a happy Pikachu, when he realized I was his father I stood back and watched his heart fill with life. His body's still in pain, but his mind's at peace."

The old Pikachu plucked Volta off his head and held him up, "I'm not the one who should be saying thank you for the liver transplant. It means more to Volta than to me, you made sure I would be there for her long enough to see her evolve."

_"Thank you, Nurse Joy." _Volta chirped.

Hipp came running into the room in full blown panic, when she saw Tesla she took a deep breath, _"Oh gosh, there you are! I thought you bailed out and-"_

_ "You're ready to go out?" _Tesla asked in Pokémon speech.

_"Uh, yes but I-"_

Tesla raised a hand and Hipp stopped, he then turned to Nurse Joy, "Hipp's been working to hard, she came here using her vacation hours. She deserves a cool-down period for her servitude. Is it alright with you if she comes with me?"

"Of course," said Nurse Joy, "Hipp can go with you. But don't leave through the entrance, those trainers are still out there and-"

"Tell them I'm going to be at the Red Rock Hotel, that would move the problem elsewhere. If they want me, then I'll deal with them somewhere where it doesn't disrupt your Pokémon Center."

Nurse Joy nodded, "Okay, I'll do that."

**. . .**

Hipp, Volta, and Tesla left the Pokémon Center through a back door and made it through the alleys, when they got back onto the street they head straight for the Red Rock Hotel, _"Hipp," _said Tesla, _"Try not to think too much, okay?"_

_ "I have obsessive compulsion disorder," _she said, _"It is so hard not to think about-"_

_ "Hipp, __don't say another word about anything medical unless we're inside a Pokémon Center. If you do, I'll show you what Med is like on her free-time. And believe me, you don't want to see her on her free-time."_

Hipp moaned, she clenched her fists and nervously looked around. She then started hopping on one foot, trying to resist the urge to give out a medical lecture, _"Did you go to the spa like I told you?" _Tesla asked.

_"It's so hard to break away from the Pokémon Center." _Hipp then tried to add something but stopped herself. Tesla smirked, she was out of her comfort zone and she was pulling her ears off because of it.

_"Hipp," _said Tesla, _"Had you ever loved anyone?"_

The old Pikachu saw something clicked inside the Audino's head, _"Yes," _she said, _"I have. I __ am__ very close to he__ah__-"_

Hipp cuts herself up and bit her lip, saying nothing more. Tesla decided not to press her on it, he knows a sensitive subject looks like when he sees it, _"You don't have to tell me about it, Hipp. That's your personal business. __I__f you do __decide to tell me__, I will not judge you in anyway. It'll make no difference to me if you've done something really bad or out of the norm."_

The Hearing Pokémon exhaled, a great burden seem to lift off her chest, _"__Thank you, Tesla."_

Tesla padded her shoulder, _"You've been a very good friend, it had been a long time since I had one this close."_

Hipp blushed and covered her smile, Tesla chuckled and sighed, _"A very long time, indeed."_

When the two reached the Red Rock Hotel, they head straight for the breakfast room. Ash and his friends weren't there, their tables were empty. So they walked up to their hotel room and knocked on the door. The door clicked open as Cilan opened it, "Tesla, you're back!"

"With Volta," said Tesla, "I appreciate you guys leaving her with me."

As Tesla and Hipp walked in, Pikachu and Axew rushed up to them. They both hugged the old Pikachu with open arms, Tesla laughed and gently pushed them away, _"Good to see you too, Kanto Kid." _Tesla said to Pikachu.

_"I'm glad you're okay!" _said Pikachu.

_"Hi, Pikachu!" _chirped Volta, she jumped off of Tesla's head and into Pikachu's arms.

_"Volta!" _Pikachu cheered as he hugged her back.

Ash zipped up his jacket as he approached, Iris was right behind him. She was hopping around on one foot, trying to get her shoes on. She tripped on her last night pajamas and fell to the floor, Iris then got back up and got her shoes on. The wild girl made a face, "Dang, wrong foot!"

"Tesla!" cried Ash, he scooped Tesla up and hugged him.

"Yiee!" Tesla yelped as the stitches twist a knife in his gut.

Ash nearly lost his grip as he pulled him away, Hipp covered her mouth and gasped, "Oh I'm sorry," cried Ash, "I'm sorry, did I hurt you!?"

"I'm fine, Ash," chuckled Tesla, "I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about. Just don't upset Hipp and things will be fine."

Tesla then gave Hipp a look, the Audino sheepishly nodded and turned away. The old Pikachu then turned back to Ash, "Can we have breakfast now, I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday."

**. . .**

The old Pikachu had not one, but two waffles stacked on top of the other. He loaded it with maple syrup and added a tea spoon of butter in the middle. Hipp sat there as sweat trailed down her neck, trying to resist the urge of telling Tesla not to eat too much or too fast. However she can't, she was supposed to be on "vacation." Tesla couldn't help but tease Hipp, he cut out a section of the double-waffle and ate it in front of her. The Hearing Pokémon squirmed, she opened her mouth to say something but closed it. Hipp just threw a fit and turned away.

"We don't have much time guys," said Tesla, "The Faraday Power Tournament is in two days, we've gotta wrap up Volta's training."

"So what do we do?" Ash asked.

_"Anything at all?" _Pikachu asked.

"Now Volta might have to battle Pokémon the size of a refrigerator. To be sure she could defeat them, I wanna see her battle her evolved form," Tesla looked up at Ash, "Your Pikachu is very powerful, he's the perfect opponent for Volta."

Volta looked up when she heard her name, a piece of pancake still hanging from her mouth.

"How is battling Pikachu made sure she could battle larger Pokémon?" Iris asked.

_"How?" _Axew added.

"Simple," said Tesla, "According to conventional wisdom, Pokémon almost never defeat their evolved form by power alone. It takes strategy, well tuned strategy."

"That's what I used when Pikachu was battling a Raichu," said Ash, "It works."

"Pikachu." Pikachu nodded.

Tesla took another bite of his waffle, "During Irvin's journey through Kanto, I found myself in an electric-type gym. My opponent was nonetheless a Raichu. He was to most egocentric Pokémon I had ever seen, he severely defeats his opponents with powerful moves such as Hyper Beam. The injuries were so bad he sent them to the Pokémon Center, which was right across the street from the gym."

"Was he really powerful?" Cilan asked.

"Have you been listening!? Of course he was, but only in that area! Before the battle, I've went to the library and researched the Raichu. Figured out its behavior, learned of the usual moves it could learn. Now upon first glance, the Raichu has stubby arms. Not very good for punching in my opinion. I've talked to Irvin about it, he told me to break the Raichu's spirit using fighting moves. Basically speaking, fight dirty. So no, I didn't use my special electricity on him. This is a test of power on whose stronger.

Tesla sat back and grinned, "When the battle came, Irvin stuck with only normal-type and fighting-type moves. Iron Tail and such. So after dodging the Raichu's electric attacks for five minutes, his trainer caught wind of it and decided to use the same strategy. The Raichu hit me with a Quick Attack, I took the blow in the mouth and he knocked some of my teeth," Tesla pulled his mouth back and showed them, "It was the molar, right in the back. And another tooth on the bottom. I simply got back up and spat them out, my expression unchanged. The look on the Raichu's face was priceless."

"So what happened?" Ash asked.

"We exchanged blows for a couple of minutes. He was getting more aggressive, more violent. The Raichu picked me up and slammed me onto the ground, I basically pretend to be on the verge of defeat. The trainer decided to finish up with Iron Tail, so the Raichu took pleasure and came upon me like the wrath of Arceus. That was when I showed him my cards.

Tesla leaned forward and held up his fist, "I took my fist, stick the tip of my thumb between my index and middle finger, and sucker punched him in the solar plexus. Then I went unleashing surgical strikes against his other weakspots. Broke several of his ribs, ruptured his spleen, I even broke his tail in three places. I finished it off by charging up my fist and sending it directly under his jaw, he hit the ground so hard that the whole gym shivered to its frames."

"And that," Tesla added, "Was how I defeated my evolved form."

"What happened to the Raichu?" Cilan asked.

"I don't want to say exactly what happened, but I can tell you that he spent the rest of his life in deep depression," Tesla then added, "Now I visited him at the Pokémon Center after the battle, he was all covered in bandages and tubing. He looked at me in the eyes and asked, 'What are you, Pikachu?'" Tesla paused for a moment, "I simply told him, 'I'm not a Pikachu, not anymore.'"

"Why would you do that to him?" Iris asked.

_"Why?" _Axew asked.

"Cause my trainer told me to, I had nothing against the Raichu but Irvin wanted to make sure the damage is permanent. At the time, I didn't care about other Pokémon. Either I help them or harm them, it doesn't matter. The world is harsh either way," the old Pikachu then looked down and sighed, "I haven't seen another Raichu that depressed till I've met my grandson, Bruiser's the opposite personality of that Raichu but his true feelings were pretty much the same. The poor fella doesn't like the power he was given, and I can't blame him. The Raichu I had defeated relished in it, and I took it away from him."

Tesla rested his hand on Volta's shoulder, "I could drone on about this for hours, but the point is, it is never about power. Never was. It's about logistics, how to achieve what can't be achieve. Either Volta wins or lose the tournament, I would be proud of her if she hold on as long as humanly possible. If she gets knocked out from the first blow, we can always try again next time. What matters is she took the opportunity, and that I am proud of alone."

_"Tesla," _said Volta, _"Will I ever see Uncle Bruiser and my Daddy again?"_

Tesla turned to Volta and said in Pokémon speech, _"You will, Volta. But I'm not going back to Dixie with you. If you want to see them again, you must know when to let me go."_

_ "Tes..." _The Tiny Mouse Pokémon whimpered.

Tesla picked up Volta and hugged her, "I know you can do it, Volta. I know you'll battle hard in the tournament and make your way back to our family, you don't need me to hand-guide you."

Volta managed a smile and buried her head into Tesla's shoulder, _"I love you."_

_ "I love you too, Volta." _

At that moment, Cabot came running in the room. He looked like he had been running a marathon, "Oh good, I've found you! There's a whole crowd of Pokémon trainers on their way here, I ran ahead to warn you."

Tesla took one last bite of his double-waffle and nodded, "Then let's go meet them, let's hear what they have on their minds."

"Would they try to-"

He shook his head, "They won't, they all saw what would happen if they try to."

Cabot ran his hand through his hair, "So that brief skirmish with the Oshawott is true?"

"You've heard?"

"All I heard was you breaking the Oshawott's wrist and lobbing his scalchop back at him."

"You've broke an Oshawott's wrist!?" Ash asked.

Pikachu gasped, _"Did you!?" _

Tesla simply shrugged, "I didn't agree to battle, so why play by the rules? I simply grabbed his hand and twisted it to get his scalchop, then I threw it – not lobbed it – back at him. He went down so hard that he went straight to the Pokémon Center."

"Nobody knew where he is," said Cabot, "The Oshawott later disappeared that night, a few things were missing from his hospital room and the door was locked and barricaded. The trainer wasn't totally convinced his Oshawott would have left him like that, but it make sense. It was demoralized, his spirit broken."

"Pity," Tesla simply says, "He was egocentric, they always crash hard."

Tesla got off his chair and sat Volta down, "Let's handle these trainers, once they're off my back then we could get started for the day."

As he walked towards the door, he could feel the others' eyes drill into his back. Tesla didn't mind, he was used to the stares.

**. . .**

Wotter retrieved the latest dead drop spike, when he got back to the safehouse he found Smugleaf reading a book. The Discipline Pokémon had seen her reading a lot of things, but a book was something else. Books were complex, filled with detail and complex words that makes Wotter's mind numb. The Discipline Pokémon shut the door and asked, _"Where did you get that book?"_

_ "Someone threw it out two blocks away from here," _said Smugleaf, her eyes still glued to the book, _"This book's written by a famous author, I remember seeing his name in a lot of books stores several years back. This was one of the original copies that used to sit on the display shelves," _she closed the book and held it up, _"Now look at it, the pages are yellowing and the cover's all scratched up. Musty and abused, yes, but the bonding is still strong. Whoever threw it out must be disgusted by its condition, even though it's a best-seller."_

Smugleaf sat it down and looked at Wotter, _"We've been thrown out, chucked aside like trash, abandoned. Just like this book. Just when we thought we're going to suffer a miserable fate, Nobark came along and salvaged us. Cleaned us up, and set us straight."_

_ "What, you've gone philosophical?" _Wotter asked.

Smugleaf grinned, _"You've finally noticed?"_

The Discipline Pokémon shook his head, _"No, I just didn't know how much philosophical."_

The Grass Snake Pokemon clucked her tongue, _"Poor poor, Wotter, sometimes I worry about you. Are you feeling okay?"_

Wotter nodded, _"I am, I just wanted to go home is all."_

_ "We will, after we do this final objective. Once that's done, we won't have to worry about whatever damage it would cause on us."_

Wotter sat down and opened up the dead drop spike, then dumped the contents on the desk. A small slip of paper and a folded up photograph fell out, Smugleaf got up and unfolded the slip of paper and read it out loud, _"Your final mission will require patience and nerves of steel. Cabot Richardson had suspected us for quite some time, he had almost killed one of my oldest friends and now he has come to do him harm once more. He must be assassinated, out in the open and under burning daylight. Set your provided weapons on fully-auto with the suppressors removed, unload an entire clip into his body. Spare whatever Pokémon he has on his person, capturing is optional."_

_ "You will set fire to your safehouse to act as a distraction," _Smugleaf continued, _"Once you've completed your objective, head straight home. We have some cold ones in the fridge for you. __Signed, -N._

_ "P.S. Patience is the key, take as much time as you need. Just make sure Cabot doesn't leave Vegas City alive."_

Smugleaf folded the note and sat it back on the desk, then picked up the photo, _"Wow, this guy's just a kid."_

She handed the photo to Wotter and he looked at it. Indeed, Cabot was a kid, probably in his early twenties, _"This is the same guy who was with that Pikachu and Pichu."_

_ "He must be participating in that tournament," _said Smugleaf, _"But we're not killing him there. It has to be outside and we need a good escape plan, we'll get our tails chewed off by the police if we stage the hit there."_

_ "We'll do it after the tournament then," _said Wotter, _"After this kid get's local publicity, his death would be a magnet for the local paper."_

Smugleaf nodded, _"I agree. In the meantime, we just simply watch him. Maybe he has a habit we could use against him."_

**. . .**

The trainers came within minutes, Tesla took a seat at the lobby as Cabot guided them to him. Volta sat on his thigh, curiously looking on as the crowd approached him. The old Pikachu scanned their eyes for signs that they might attempt to bag him. None of them set off his alarms, so far.

"Are you _the _Tesla Westinghouse?" one of the trainers asked.

Tesla just stared at them, as he always does when strangers speak at him. After a moment of silence, the old Pikachu held up his hands. Purple electricity buzzed between them, the crowd stepped back. The lights flickered as ozone flooded the room, Tesla ceased sparking and lowered his hands.

"It's him alright," said a trainer in the back, "No Pokemon could do that."

One of the trainers stepped forward, his colorful clothes made Tesla's eyesore. He looked at the trainer in the eye as he asked, "You're in the tournament?"

A moment of silence.

"As a trainer," said Tesla, "As long as I live, I will be the one calling the shots in future battles."

Another moment of silence.

"Well," asked Tesla, "What do you want me to say? You've been a thorn to Nurse Joy for two days wanting to see me. Well now I'm here, so what in the world do you want?"

"Who are you training?" another trainer asked.

Tesla sat his hand on Volta's head, "This here is my great-great granddaughter. Her name is Volta. I've just spent the last few months trying to find whatever family I had left. Unfortunately, what's left aren't doing so well right now."

"What happened?"

"You don't want to know."

The room went silent.

"Okay," said a girl, "What was life like being owned by a Pokémon Master?"

"Depends on how you look at it," said Tesla, "His Pokémon are idiots, he is always forgetful. Sometimes he pissed me off so much that I gave him a nasty shock. Overall, life with my trainer was pretty much . . . vague at best."

"Why vague?"

"You'll find his methods unusual at best, appalling at worst. But his Pokémon loved him, they loved him because he raised them that way."

"So how's retirement?" a trainer wearing an ugly green hat asked.

Tesla shrugged, "The taste of freedom could never be so sweet. However, I am still being hunted. People just don't get it, they all are still trying to catch me. Many trainers tried and many trainers failed, half of them would never train Pokémon again."

A lot of eyes bulged from the crowd, Tesla simply shook his head, "What are you expecting from me? Right now I have something to do and you guys are wasting your time. If you want to hear my story, you have to wait till the Faraday Power Tournament. I'm just not in the mood to talk right now."

"How's your liver," said another trainer, "Are you okay?"

Tesla grumbled, "The doctors just transplanted a new liver, as the last one was ruined from a lifetime of abuse. I'd just been discharged from the Pokémon Center and I'm not in the mood to talk to other people right now," then he added, "Why the f*ck do you guys want to invade my personal life anyway?"

No one said a word.

"If it's about my trainer, that's all in the past. Dead, gone, and not coming back. His Pokemon, my friends, are either dead, dying, or had gone insane. Maybe a few are doing okay, but overall, we all felt like we've been tossed out. We felt like we're mere things to you people, just things."

"What's Irvin's secret in becoming a Pokémon Master?" someone asked.

Tesla chuckled, "We steal Pokémon eggs, incubate them till they hatch, then we raised them. Irvin treated his Pokémon like human beings, not _things _we call Pokemon. That was why they were so loyal to him, why I bother sticking around. I could have just run away, but I didn't. I wanted to be treated as a person, not trash."

"I'm sorry." said Cabot as he approached.

"Not your guys faults, it's just how the world works. Irvin's motto pretty much explains it: 'A man chooses, a Pokémon obeys.' That's how all you guys treat your Pokemon, like things. Sure they may love you in all, but it's not because if you're good or mean to them. It's how you treat them, teach them."

"Now would you please excuse me," said Tesla, picking up Volta, "I have a loved one who wants to accomplish something in life. I'll tell you guys more at the Faraday Power Tournament."

"Is there anything we could do for you," said a trainer, "Anything?"

"Yes," said Tesla, "At the Faraday Power Tournament, don't cheer me on. Listen to the crowd's reaction, then look at mine. You'll learn something from that.

Tesla got off the cushioned chair and left the lobby, leaving the trainers to wonder what he was trying to get them to understand.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__5_

"How were they, Tesla?" Ash asked as the group left the Red Rock Hotel.

"Clueless," said Tesla, "They wanted to see me so bad, they never thought about what to say to me. All they did was ask me questions, the same questions everybody always ask me.

The old Pikachu sighed, "Sometimes I get so annoyed that I wish I had something to shock, my day is always ruined by those kind of people."

_"But at least you have someone to fix it up for you." _said Volta.

Tesla chuckled, "Yes, yes I do, Volta."

When they reached the training area, Pikachu got down from Ash's shoulder, _"Pikachu," _Tesla said in Pokémon speech, _"May I please speak with you for a moment, alone?"_

Pikachu looked at him for a moment, then nodded, _"Okay, Tesla."_

Tesla handed Volta to Ash, "Could you give us a moment?"

"Sure, Tesla." said Ash.

Tesla led Pikachu inside a public restroom. It was a single toilet, with a sink. It was practically big enough for a wheelchair, which give more than enough private space for the two Mouse Pokemon, _"Lock the door." _said Tesla.

As Pikachu locked the door, Tesla turned on the water faucet. It hissed loudly, making it difficult for anyone to eavesdrop.

_"What is it, Tesla?" _Pikachu asked.

Tesla turned to Pikachu, _"Volta loves you a lot, that's a fact. I saw the look in her eyes, they were bright pink hearts. Do you like her as well?"_

_ "I like her pretty much the same way I like all my friends." _said Pikachu.

_"That may be so, however I just want to make some things clear. When you battle Volta, you give it all you got. Hammer her like you're going to kill her, no ifs or butts about it. Knock out her teeth if you must, anything it would take to crush her spirit."_

Pikachu's eyes went big, _"Why?"_

_ "Don't go easy on her, period. You keep hitting her until she's unable to keep battling, think of her as a hostile adversary instead of a friend," _Tesla placed his hand on Pikachu's shoulder, _"Remember when we first met, when you were digging in the trash for that ketchup bottle?"_

_ "Yes." _Pikachu nodded.

_"I put the fear of Arceus in you, did I?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Put that same amount of fear in Volta, then back it up with terror. You know what I'm talking about, I've locked you in a cage and held a gun to your head for crying out loud."_

Pikachu looked away for a moment, then asked, _"Why so harsh, Tesla?"_

_ "Cause the Pokémon she will face won't be so gentle, they will pummel her. I need you to make her feel powerless, basically bring her down to her knees. If you don't, she'll be overconfident for the tournament and _that _will bring her down. Hard."_

The room went silent save for the water faucet, Pikachu turned back to Tesla and nodded, _"How bad was it, Tesla? On Faraday Island?"_

_ "I've ruined a lot of lives, because they intruded on mine. Life's tough, and it hurts, especially when you get older."_

Tesla reached up and turned off the water faucet, "Okay," he said in human speech, "Let's go meet up with the others, I want to get this over with."

**. . .**

Ash and Tesla took their positions on the court, Pikachu and Volta stood between them ready for battle. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon stretched her arms and legs, then got in a stance. Tesla saw her bounce on one foot. She was amped up. Hopefully her electricity was in order.

Iris stood on the sidelines with Axew nestled in her hair. They both watched with curiosity and uncertainty. Maybe she still believe this wouldn't go well. Of course it won't, not everything goes perfectly as plan. Hipp sat patiently on a bench, she was waving her legs and holding onto the bench with a death grip. The Audino was nervous. Whatever was setting off her alarms, she could do nothing about it. A part of Tesla hoped she would faint from the stress, it would help her realize her condition later.

Cilan stepped up and did his announcement. Tesla felt his heart race, the stitches in his side itched under the bandages and his patience was running thin. He didn't really want to do this, and yet again, didn't wanna let Volta down. She was his little comfort zone, and he must step out of it once in a while to take care of it. He stared at Pikachu for a moment, he was in a stance as well, however he was having trouble holding it. The old Pikachu could tell that the younger one was still processing what he told him. He was having trouble stomaching it down, nonetheless he firmed up when Ash spoke, "Ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

_"Ready!" _Pikachu chirped.

"Use Thunderbolt!"

_Classic move, _Tesla thought, "Dodge it, Volta."

Volta moved fast as the yellow lighting arched through the air, it struck the ground where she once stood, "Quick attack, go!"

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon charged at Pikachu, the distance between them closing fast.

"Counter with Iron Tail!" Ash ordered.

Pikachu's lightning-bolt tail turned to steel, he swung it up and struck Volta like she was a baseball. Volta couldn't hold it, she got knocked back and flopped on the ground like a rag doll.

"She took it hard!" cried Iris.

"Axew!" Axew cried.

Volta shot back up in a stance, she wasn't fazed a little.

"Use Nasty Plot, then use Iron Tail again!"

Question marks flutter over Volta's head, then she hatched an idea. Whatever that idea was, Tesla wasn't sure. Then again, those negative thoughts might be from the stories he told her.

Volta charged again, this time moving faster than before.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" ordered Ash.

Pikachu jumped in the air to dodge, but Volta didn't buy it. She jumped and homed her forehead into Pikachu's solar plexus, his lungs explode with air as he got knocked back. Volta landed on her feet as Pikachu landed on his rear-end.

"You okay, Pikachu!?" Ash asked.

Pikachu took a deep breath, then got back up, "Pika!"

"Use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu got on all fours and charged at Volta, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon looked a little scared and stepped back, _Time to bend the rules, _Tesla thought.

_"Volta," _Tesla commanded in his Pokémon language, "J_ump and grab Pikachu's tail!"_

Volta snapped into attention, she jumped just as Pikachu was a meter away. She landed right on his tail and hanged on, Pikachu screeched to a halt.

"TWIST IT!"

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon swung herself around 180 degrees, Tesla winced when he heard Pikachu's tail crack, "SAHHH!" Pikachu yelped.

"Pikachu, no!" cried Ash, "Use Thundershock!"

The Mouse Pokémon puffed up and discharged electricity, his body burst yellow as it ground into his lesser form. Volta screamed, the shock knocked her off his tail and tossed her towards the center of the field. Pikachu ceased and checked his tail, it laid limp, maybe it was barely attached. The Mouse Pokémon could still move it, he pressed his hand at the base and yelp. It was clearly damaged.

"Are you okay, Pikachu!?" Ash asked worriedly.

_"I'm fine." _Pikachu chirped, he got back on his feet.

"Volta hurt Pikachu's tail!" cried Iris.

Hipp bit her lip, sweating hard as she watched Pikachu's hind legs limp.

_"If you grab them by the tail, it will bite you," _Tesla quoted the Pokédex in Pokémon speech, _"Just saying."_

Volta leaped back up on her feet. She stumbled a bit, trying to find her balance. The Thunderbolt did a lot of damage, even though it was half the kick.

"Charge and use Iron Tail!" Tesla ordered.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon's tiny tail glowed white, then silver. She vaulted across the field, bringing it to full swing.

"Counter with Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.

Pikachu charged forward, his cheeks sparkling mad. Volta struck him hard, but Pikachu overpowered her. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon screamed as she got knocked back, once again flopping hard on the field.

"Can you use Energy Ball, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

The Mouse Pokémon tried lifting up his tail, then yelped, _"No, I can't! I can't!"_

"No way!"

Pikachu got up on his feet, his face was red with anger. He wouldn't need Iron Tail or Energy Ball to finish her off. Volta got on her feet, she looked dazed. Her legs were buckling under her weight.

"Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!"

_"With pleasure!" _Pikachu spat, he charged up his cheeks and unleashed an arch of yellow lightning. Volta screamed loud and hard as the Thunderbolt struck her hard. Tesla's heart sank, he had never heard a cute little Pokémon scream like that before. She was innocent, purely incident. Volta just wanted to battle.

When the Thunderbolt ceased, Volta fell over on the ground. She whimpered, her yellow fur covered with dust and sweat. Tears started escaping from her eyes, everyone just stood and watched as the Tiny Mouse Pokémon started breaking down.

Then a yellow puddle formed around her.

_Sh*t. _Tesla thought.

He kept a neutral face, showing no emotion. But Ash's Pikachu was. Instead of satisfaction or rage. It was grief, sadness, even he was shedding a tear.

"It's just what I feared." Iris whimpered as she hugged Axew.

_"No." _the Tusk Pokémon muttered.

Ash just stood there, his jaw dropped. Cilan's eyes were wide, but he said nothing. His hand wasn't even twitching to raise the flag. Pikachu approached Volta, lending out a hand. Tesla held his breath. If she was hurt this bad, she would be in no condition to battle in the Faraday Pokémon Tournament. Worse still, it was his idea for her to battle Pikachu. How stupid was that? Ash's Pikachu had a lot of experience, he had taken on Pokémon much larger than him. Had he even defeated legendary Pokemon? Tesla was sure he did.

Just when Pikachu was in arm's reach, he sobbed, _"I'm sorry, Volta. I didn't mean to-"_

He stopped short when he saw the grin on Volta's face.

It only took a millisecond for Volta to bring her fist up, it was bursting with bright yellow electricity. She thrust her fist into Pikachu's Solar Plexus as hard as she can. A loud sickly buzz sounded. Pikachu stumbled back, too stunned to defend himself.

_Volta, _Tesla thought, _You sick, Pichu._

"What the?" Iris cried.

Volta swung her left fist into Pikachu's side, then swung her right fist again into his groin. Both hands were charged with Galvapunch, Tesla's own signature move. How could she have learned it? It is almost impossible to learn.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon leaped up, her tail quickly turned to steel. Volta struck Pikachu on the nose and the Mouse Pokémon fell. He landed on his bad tail and hit the ground, the momentum spreading out his arms and legs. Dust kicked up, everyone held their breath. Hipp covered her eyes as everyone looked on. Tesla stood on his toes, hoping to get a better view. The dust cloud lifted...

...and over Pikachu's eyes were big black spirals.

_"Owww." _Pikachu moaned under his breath.

**. . .**

Hipp shot up and rushed over to Pikachu, but Tesla barred her way. The Audino remembered what he'd said to her and backed off, whining under her breath as she does so.

Volta spat out blood, she pant as she sat down next to Pikachu. She opened her mouth and nibbled on one of Pikachu's ears, Tesla tried to pull her away but she hanged on tight. The old Pikachu decided not to fight with her.

Eventually Pikachu sat up, tired and beaten up. Volta shifted to nibbling on his shoulder, the Mouse Pokémon didn't mind, he just sat there trying to regain his sense of awareness. It didn't take long for him to snap out of his stupor.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu chirped at Ash.

"Are you okay, Pikachu?" Ash asked, "You did great out there."

"Pika Pika Pikachu." Pikachu sighed.

"He said he hadn't seen that coming," translated Tesla, "Neither had I, Volta even had me fooled."

Volta stopped nibbling and yawned, then snuggled up to Pikachu's side. Ash reached down and scooped them both up, "Here," he said, "Let's get you to the Pokémon Center, Pikachu, so we could get your tail looked at.

"Pika." Pikachu nodded.

**. . .**

When they got to the Pokémon Center, Tesla broke away with the others for a moment. He took Volta outside then sat her down on the outdoor table. She was nervous, Tesla never sits her like that unless she gets in trouble. There were several occasions where Volta misbehaved, Tesla punished her by not having her eat dinner. Once time Volta got into a fight with another small Pokemon, Tesla intervened and pulled her way. She didn't bother stating her case, she was in the wrong. The old Pikachu punished her by not letting her eat for a full 24 hours. Oh how her belly gnawed, it hurt so much that she almost cried. Among all the things Tesla let her cry of, only hunger he refused.

Now she feared that Tesla won't let her eat for 48 hours, she braced for the worst.

_"Am I in trouble?" _Volta asked.

"If you were," said Tesla, "I would have condemned you on the spot."

_"What's wrong, Tesla?"_

Tesla simply looked at her, then sighed, "I love you, Volta. You're growing up so fast that, sooner or later, you'll evolve. I can tell you're getting close, just a little further and you will be a Pikachu like me."

Volta felt a tear coming up, _"I would always be your little girl, Tes."_

"Volta," said Tesla, "I'm not your father, I never was."

_"But without you, I wouldn't exist. Neither would the Dixierats. You've brought us all to the world, and we love you."_

Tesla smiled, "I know you guys do, but there are links missing in the chain. I could imagine the look on their faces if Polly and I reunite, sad to say she is so far gone into the past that...

His voice trailed off for a moment, Tesla smiled faded as he turned back to Volta, "You had me worried back there, Volta. That stunt you pulled made me feel like I've let you down, we all did. You really peed yourself?"

_"On purpose," _said Volta, _"I drew Pikachu into the zone, then hit him fast and hard."_

"I'm not sure you can pull that trick in the Faraday Power Tournament, even if it does work you might get disqualified. Besides, I'm already bending enough rules as it is. Any more tension and things will crumble fast," then he added, "How did you learn that move? Galvapunch?"

_"By accident," _said Volta, _"While you were out cold from your liver transplant, I reached up and rubbed your cheek. It was the stupidest thing I've ever done."_

"What happened?"

_"Your cheek discharged and threw me hard into the wall," _Volta held up her hands, _"my hands were sparkling purple electricity Tesla. Purple! And my own cheeks were blistering hot!"_

"You should have at least woke me, you could have gotten Overcharge."

_"If I had Overcharge, you would've sensed it."_

"And so will the Audinos," added Tesla, "Boy, that would've been a huge mess."

Tesla wrapped his arms around Volta, "You feel like you're ready for the tournament?"

_"I believe I am," _said Volta, _"But do you believe me?"_

"After what I'd just seen, nobody knows what tricks you have up your sleeve. Classic Mouse Pokémon. Classic pest."

Volta smiled, she kissed Tesla on the nose. It was tiny smooch instead of the usual lick, _"Can I have a bath?" _

"Even better," said Tesla, "You're growing up now, how about a shower instead. Instead of part of you underwater, there's water all over you at once. And it's efficient."

Tesla undid Volta's handkerchief, "Here, we'll need to wash this. It smells like urine."

When they walked back inside, Ash was sitting on the couch. His Pikachu laid in his lap, his lightning bolt tail was reoriented the right way and was braced to his butt. Tesla found it funny, but his face didn't show it, "Is your Pikachu alright, Ash?" he asked.

"They'd just fixed his tail," said Ash, "They've also gave him a healing herb to soothe his aches and pains, I think he'll recover okay," then he asked, "Just why did you have Volta break Pikachu's tail like that? I was so scared that she might tear it off."

"It was how I was trained, Ash. Your mind won't begin to figure out how far Irvin had gone in Pokémon battling."

_"I'm sorry, Pikachu," _said Volta, _"I didn't mean to break your tail. How bad does it hurt?"_

_ "It was hurting a lot," _Pikachu simply says, _"But a healing herb made it feel better."_

"I remember the last time I broke my tail," said Tesla, "I almost had no love for it. It hurt so much that I was about to amputate it with a hacksaw until Irvin stopped me, 'You can rip off the tail,' he says, 'But its ghost will still haunt you.' He was referring to phantom limb, when you could still feel and move body parts after they're gone. I was pissed at him until my tail fully healed, then I dropped the matter altogether."

Ash's jaw dropped, "You really tried to cut off your own tail?"

"I only use it to hit Pokémon with, besides that it's next to useless. I mean, the way I live my life, my tail isn't needed. That's why I don't bite or shock anybody when anybody yanks it."

Ash shook his head, "Sometimes I found it hard to understand you at times, you're just so vague and you swear. A lot. Sometimes I forget you're even a Pikachu."

Tesla smiled, "That's because what I believe is right or wrong, doesn't compute with what you believe is right or wrong. Common sense is the most confusing subject in the world, cause practically anything could be right or wrong."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon let out a tiny fart, it sounded like a honk than a sputtering toot, "See," said Tesla as he covered his nose, "What did I tell you? Holy crap, Volta, what are you eating?"

_"Whatever you give me." _said Volta.

Pikachu simply chuckled, he stood up and climbed off of Ash's lap. When he finally smelled it, Ash covered his nose with his jacket, "Wow, that is strong! Gosh!"

Tesla and Volta couldn't help but laugh.

**. . .**

Smugleaf, on the other hand, wasn't in the mood for laughter.

Wotter had gone off to search for food, leaving her alone in the safehouse. Smugleaf ate some MRE's, two of them, she was hungry and she didn't mind their bitter taste. The Snivy then dumped her wrappers in the nearby trash can and picked up the worn out novel. It was a tough read, the words were small and the paragraphs were huge. The author must had invested in a lot of time in writing it. It was a long read, but she had enough time. Smugleaf had nothing better to do but sit and wait. She was bored, thankfully she had a book to keep her brain occupied while things were cooling down.

Among all the things she was good at, Smugleaf was good at reading and writing. Ever since her trainer's untimely death, she had devoted a good amount of time learning to read. How useful the skill was. Smugleaf gotten a whole load of ideas from books, both fiction and non-fiction. She managed to teach the baby Pokémon at PRA HQ about them, they all sat and listen like the good Pokémon they were.

_Were, _Smugleaf thought, _They were good._

Wotter's influence on them had taken its toll. He turned these innocent little Pokémon into . . . into monsters like _him. _Smugleaf managed to protect a few, but for most, the damage was done. Sure, they still look up to her with respect, but they act more like assholes to others, _And they drink, _Smugleaf thought some more, _Cause Wotter had them drink._

If only Nobark could set them straight, but he couldn't set himself straight. His mind had deteriorated from age, and whatever metal illnesses had inflicted on him. These unusual orders, these assassinations, were there any reasoning behind them? How much does Nobark even know these people? What did they do to him that tripped his radars?

Smugleaf closed the book and set it aside. She yawned. She was tired, yet she doesn't wanna nap in this musty one-room apartment. Smugleaf head out towards the flight of stairs and made her way to the roof. Fresh air greeted her, she took a deep breath and exhaled, "A beautiful day," she thought aloud in human speech, "I love a beautiful day."

The Grass Snake Pokémon got up on the highest ledge she could find and spread herself out. Warm sunlight beamed on her body, she could feel her leafy tail absorb its soothing light. Ah, a lazy day. A beautiful lazy day. Smugleaf wished she was on vacation, that way she could enjoy this morning at the beach or a lake, not on the roof of an abandoned building filled with mold.

Something tickled in Smugleaf's nose and she sneezed, _Yuck, definitely not on a building with mold! Ugh!_

Too bad she and Wotter ran out of brandy, Smugleaf would love to get a buzz going with sunlight shining over her. Of course, she wasn't on vacation. No, she was on a mission, with an objective that needs to be completed. Just one more objective, just one more mission, and she could go home. It shouldn't be that overly complicated.

Smugleaf yawned and closed her eyes, a few soft snores minutes later indicated she was asleep.

**. . .**

Wotter had no intention of napping, he sat on top of the roof of a 5-story commercial building, his eyes glued to his binoculars as he scanned the street below. He'd just had some lunch, but he was still hungry. Unlike Smugleaf, he was watching his weight. There was no strict exercising regimen in the PRA. A lot of members, especially new recruits, tends to get fat and lazy. Wotter wasn't like them. Everyday around 5:30AM, he goes out and jogs a lap around Fort Wernher, then did some pull-ups and sit-ups. By the time he was all pumped up, the lazy folks start to stir. After a quick shower and a thorough tooth brushing, Wotter was set for the day.

Why stick to a strict schedule? He was the Discipline Pokemon, it was a reputation he must keep. Without it, he had no authority or power over the weaklings. He needed the toughness and the extra blood in his brain to function properly.

Wotter's belly growled as he stared at the cheap Motel 6. He ignored it, hunger was the least of his concerns. It takes extreme patience to track a target, sometimes it could take days to nail down a pattern. Wotter didn't wanna be in Vegas City for long. He wanted out. Like Smugleaf, he too was homesick. He wanted to get back to his exercising schedule, back at cracking skulls too. But that must wait, literally wait.

_Where are you Cabot? _Wotter thought to himself, _I hope you hadn't sneaked out the window, you f*cking rascal._

One of the apartment doors opened up, Wotter homed in on it. Cabot stepped out and locked it behind him. He looked so much like the recon photo. Wotter felt sweat trail down the back of his head as Cabot started down the sidewalk. Wherever he was going, Wotter must look over his route. There had to be a place somewhere where he and Smugleaf could ambush the bastard.

Wotter packed his binoculars into his leather backpack and jumped to his feet, he ran towards the edge and vaulted across the gap of alleyway. He landed on top of the next building's roof, he spun on his heels and jogged to the edge. Cabot was heading down the street, walking casually along without a care in the world. There were barely anybody out this afternoon, just a couple of stray humans here and there. No doubt they were trainers, almost everybody in this damn city was one.

The Discipline waited till Cabot was getting out of reach, then vaulted to the next building. Then the next. Then the next. Wotter panted, it was good getting this kind of exercise. Risky, yes. Maybe illegal. But this was a great way to get his blood flowing, and to get away from that slob of a Snivy. He peaked over the edge again. Cabot kept walking till he reached a building, then turned onto another street. Wotter groaned, no way he was going to vault to the building across the street. He walked towards the back of the building and found a ladder, then climbed down to the alley.

"Oh wow," yelled a high voice, "A Dewott!"

Wotter jumped, he spun on his heels and found himself faced to face with a Pokémon trainer. He was a young one, no doubt. Maybe 12 or 13 years old. He had a golden long-sleeve shirt and a pair of blue jeans. His hair was neatly trimmed to his eyebrows, like his mother stuck a bowl on his head and cut off all the hair sticking out. The Discipline Pokémon frowned. Humans around this age, especially male humans, are on the onset of adolescence. They were ridiculously rude and immature, knew too much about sex, and holy f*ck do they b*tch a lot when they don't get their way. Thankfully there was just one, not a bunch of them. A bunch would seriously cause all sorts of noise and problems for Wotter, not to mention they would try to capture him. But it was just one kid, one snot nose brat. He should be easy to deal with.

According to the rules of engagement. A wild Pokémon would stand before his or her challenger while they call out a Pokemon. That wild Pokémon must defeat that Pokémon if he or she were to stay free. If the wild Pokémon faints, then the challenger would snag him or her with a Poké ball. If successful, the wild Pokémon would be under the trainer's influence.

This kid knows his stuff, he was in the usual stance as all Pokémon trainers do. But Wotter had no plan on being captured, in fact he didn't plan on playing by the rules. A burning rage grew deep inside his chest. No . . . he was done with trainers, done being their puppets. Their slaves. He wished to keep his freedom, he would die before anyone would capture him.

The kid reached into his pocket and pulled out a Poké ball. Wotter acted fast. He charged at the kid and slammed his back into the dumpster, the Poké ball went flying and landed a few meters away. The kid yelped, his eyes going wide as he started thrashing his arms and kicking his legs. Wotter grasped him over the mouth and slammed the kid's neck on the brim of the dumpster. It popped like a cork escaping a wine bottle. The kid's eyes locked open as the rest of his body went limp, Wotter held it for a few seconds to be sure the kid was done. When he let go, the body slumped to the ground.

_"You idiot." _Wotter whispered, he wasn't sure if he was talking to the kid or himself.

Wotter must think fast, he wasn't sure if anyone witnessed his evil deed or if anyone heard something. The Discipline Pokémon looked around and saw the manhole to the storm drain. He hoisted the body on his shoulders and dragged it towards the drain, then used Razor Shell to pry the manhole cover open. He dumped the kid's body into the hole, heard it gave off a sick thud as it hit the bottom. Wotter glanced around to see if anyone was watching, so far no stray eyes were watching. He picked up the kid's Poké ball and stared at it. It was pocket-sized, not enlarged. Indeed he was trying to call out a Pokemon. Whatever Pokémon lay inside, he didn't wanna meet. He'd just killed its trainer, which could land him in the electric chair.

The Discipline Pokémon stepped into the hole and pulled the manhole cover over him. He jumped down into the drain. Since it was morning, there was enough light coming in from above to see. Now in the clear, Wotter turned his attention to the kid. The body laid on an awkward angle. He fell in head first, his skull had bust open and was spilling blood on the bare concrete. Wotter sat down the Poké ball and pulled off the kid's backpack. In it were several books, reference manuals to Unova's many Pokémon, a How-to guide on taking care of Pokémon. Pretty much all the books had to do with Pokémon, one way or another.

Wotter dug deeper, he found some empty Poké balls. So the kid was trying to capture him after all, that was a close save.

_Wait, _Wotter thought, _If the kid was trying to capture me, would he have at least one empty Poké ball on hand instead of being tucked away in his backpack?_

_ ..._Maybe he wasn't trying to capture him after all, maybe he was simply saying hello.

Well, f*ck. Wotter made a mistake. But no big deal, no big deal at all. He'd just save countless Pokémon from being captured and owned by mankind. This would be a little bonus for Nobark's hit-list. All for the Cause, of course.

The Discipline Pokémon dug into the kid's pockets and two more shrunken Poké balls, Wotter held them up and looked at them. They were still warm from being inside that pocket, the Pokémon inside, foolishly blinded by the Poké balls influence, were no doubt screaming for mercy. Sadly, Wotter was in no position to take in more dumbsh*t recruits for the PRA. He was on a bounty mission, not a recruiting mission. Wotter couldn't let them go, either. They would compromise him. If that were to happen, then he and Smugleaf would have to abort, and Nobark would be pissed. Wotter gulped, he didn't wanna be with Nobark when he's pissed. Oh no, never, not even with a 10-meter long pole.

Wotter picked up the other Poké ball again. Somewhere he would have to get rid of them. No, burn them. Yes, _burn _them till there's nothing left but ash. Wotter wasn't sure how Poké balls work, but he does know that destroying the Poké ball _completely _kills the Pokémon it contains, _"Their __pocket dimension __would burst into flames," _Wotter remembered Nobark saying during a lecture, _"So yes, they will burn like they normally would __outside their Poké ball. It would be like a firestorm gone mad."_

_ Sometimes I wish I was a fire-type, _Wotter thought, _it was a pleasure to burn._

Wotter grinned, it was always a pleasure to burn.

He didn't bother dragging the body with him, nobody goes down in the storm drains. Ever. Wotter walked off, leaving him there for whatever varmint Pokemon looking for their next meal.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__6_

The cravings came back later that night. Tesla woke up in his hospital bed, his tongue was dry and the bridge of his mouth was sticky. He looked down, Volta was snuggled up with warmth. She was asleep, out cold perhaps. The old Pikachu sat up and sucked in his mouth, _I need a drink, _Tesla thought. _A big bottle of beer should do it._

Tesla jumped off the hospital bed and opened the window, he silently slid it close and climbed down to the alley below.

**. . .**

Volta stirred. She felt cold, really cold. The comforter wasn't doing much to keep her warm. She felt around for Tesla's warm body, all she found was a cooling spot where Tesla had been.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon shot up and gasped. He was gone, again. At first, Volta thought that Tesla might had gone to the bathroom. Sometimes he gets up at nights just to potty. She smelled the air, the scent trail was all wrong, it was pointing the wrong way. It pointed towards the window. It was open just a crack, not properly closed. Tesla had gone out, but where . . . she could only think of one answer.

_Oh no, _she thought, _Please, no! You promised, you promised!_

**. . .**

Tesla walked on all fours down the sidewalk, scurrying along with a steady pace. The cold air filled his lungs, knocking out whatever sleep he had left in his brain. The old Pikachu turned left, then right. He made his way to the local convenience store where he and Volta shopped for junkfood days earlier. It was closed, the lights were out and the sign says otherwise. Tesla stared at it for a moment, no closed store was going to stop him.

He made his way to the alley and found the store's electrical panel, Tesla looked for a white cord. There it was, right out of the open. It was grimy with age, the owners hadn't replaced it. Tesla grabbed the cord and yanked it out of the box. With the phone-line cut, the silent alarm cannot alert the authorities. Tesla glanced around for anyone watching, no one was there. He casually walked over to the back door and twist the knob. It was locked. The old Pikachu stepped back and got into position, he took a deep breath and charged. He slammed against the door, just near the doorknob. Tesla's ears deafen as the door bust open and banged against the wall. He quickly rushed inside and closed the door.

_No telling if I disabled the alarm or not, _he thought, _I better make this quick._

He crept towards the front of the store and head straight for the liquor section. Tesla browsed the products on display. He found one, a strong bottle of rich brandy. Tesla opened the fridge door and pulled out the bottle, then head back out into the alley.

_Fast and easy. _He thought.

Tesla made his way through the alleys on his hind legs. The park wasn't that far, he could find a secluded spot where he could drown out his judgment with the happy juice. He kept a low profile, constantly looking behind him to see if anyone was following. He came out into the street, looked both ways, then dash across to the next alley. The park was right on the other side of the block. Tesla looked again for any pedestrians. Nobody was around, not a single soul. Tesla crept across the street, the bottle of brandy clutched tight in his hands. When his feet touched prickling grass, Tesla breathed, _Safe, _he thought. _Now to find a quiet spot._

There were a lot of places where he could settle in, a lot of trees and bushes to act as cover. Tesla made his way towards what he believed was the center. It was a cluster of trees, they looked old. Probably they were here before Vegas City. Tesla made his way through the bushes, the starry night clouds with leaves and vegetation. This place was private, quiet. Maybe this was a place for teenage love affairs. Who knows? Hopefully nobody was out here tonight.

Tesla found a tree to sit by, it was thick. Old. Just like him. He sat down and pressed his back against the tree. The curve felt just, relaxing too. Maybe he could spend the night out here. Tesla took a deep breath, then sat the bottle between his legs, _Time to take care of those pesky memories. _

The old Pikachu grasped his hand around the cap.

_"NOOO!"_

Tesla threw up his hands, the bottle fell on his side as his cheeks discharged purple lightning. The old Pikachu pressed his hand against his chest, he almost had a heart attack there. Tesla looked up, his heart dropped into his stomach like a stone.

Volta stood in the shadows. Her eyes, her beautiful eyes, were bulging and leaking tears. Her hands were clamped over her mouth, like she was trying not to scream. Tesla just stared at her, he didn't say anything. There was nothing to say, the bottle of brandy explained it all.

_"You're drinking," _she cried, her eyes rained big globes of tears, forming a puddle around her feet, _"You're drinking! Your drinking! Your drinking! You promised, Tesla! You promised!"_

His heart sank further. Now he'd done it. Tesla screwed up big time. He promised Volta he wouldn't drink, and now he broke it. Broke it with a bottle of brandy. Whatever credibility he had was gone, he could feel their relationship cracking at the seams. He tried to say something but nothing came out, both his human and Pokémon voice evade him.

Volta shot up and rushed towards the bottle, _"Give me that!"_

She tossed aside and unleashed a powerful Thundershock, so powerful Tesla almost thought it looked like a Thunderbolt. The brandy exploded, bursting into a thousand shards. Its contents seemingly went up in steam and vapor. When the dust settled, there was nothing left but the metal cap and a few fragments of the label.

Volta turned back to him, her eyes were all cried out. The tiny white pupils were wide, they were filled with hurt. So much hurt that it looked like she had lost someone. Tesla tried speaking again, but couldn't find his voice. He was speechless, just like when he lost his family, lost Polly, lost Irvin...

_Oh what have I done? _Tesla thought.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon then collapsed on the ground, she pressed her face against the grass and covered her head with her hands. She cried long and loud. Tesla just sat there and watched. He didn't reached out to hug her, nor say any reassuring words. It would do no good, there wasn't much he could do now.

Volta peaked at Tesla and sobbed, _"You've betrayed my tiny trust."_

Tesla's heart dissolved upon hearing those words, he felt tears build up in his eyes as Volta resumed crying. The old Pikachu pressed his hands against his temples, _What have I done? _He thought again.

The old Pikachu simply got up and walked out of the cluster of trees, leaving Volta to cry herself out. When he stepped back out into the open, he stood there for a moment. He could hear Volta's faint cries echo from the vegetation. Tesla winced, her cries sounded more sad when muffled. He looked out towards Vegas City. The streets were empty with everyone asleep, not even stray Pokémon were out in the open. He and Volta were alone, their hearts bleeding trust under the moonless night.

Tesla simply collapsed in the grass and whimpered, he couldn't bear to hold his grief any longer.

**. . .**

The air smelled strong with liquor, Volta covered her nose as she stood up. She turned towards what was left of the brandy bottle, then glanced where Tesla had sat. That was a close one. Tesla would have drank if she hadn't showed up as she did. He was still sober, which was good. But the fact that he tried to drink was just as bad. She trusted Tesla, believed in him, and now all faith she had in him crumbled before her very eyes.

Volta was scared out of her mind. What was going to happen now? Tesla proved he couldn't keep his promises. Would he back her up at the Faraday Power Tournament? Would he even show up? Ash and his friends might be there, but there was so much they could do. Volta felt she was going to be disqualified. No trainer, no dice. No one's going to substitute for Tesla, nobody can. It had to be him, no one else could replace him.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon wiped away her tears and followed Tesla's scent trail. She was in no mood for talking to him, she didn't even want him to touch her. Volta was tired, she just wanted to go back to the Red Rock Hotel and sleep with Ash's Pikachu instead. She had enough of worrying about him for one night.

When she came out of the bushes, Volta saw Tesla laying on the grass. He looked like he had just ceased up, ready to call it quits. Tesla whimpered to himself, muttering in Pokémon speech. Volta listened hard, trying to figure out what he was saying, _"Mama," _he whimpered, _"Pa, baby brothers and sissies. I missed you, I missed you so much. I want to see you again, I really do. Just why do they have to make it so harsh? Why did they pull me out of your hands, Mama? Why were they so harsh?"_

Then Tesla switched to human speech, "Oh f*ck, what am I kidding. They're dead, and Polly's also dead. The children I have are dying, I wasn't there for them. They won't let me. I didn't get to see them be born, hold them, raise them. No, I never got that chance. Never got the chance to see them grow up, never got the chance to have a real family again."

He looked up at the sky, "And now I've blew it. I've just shattered the latest generation of my own family. I blew it, I f*cking blew it. Her own father tasked me to raise her and I blew it. Now there isn't any hope for the next generation, she's going to grow up hopeless like the others and I'm to blame," Tesla collapsed on the ground again, "Oh why does this always happen to me?"

In bitter grief, he pulled off his eye-goggles and tossed it 5 meters away. Volta covered her mouth when she watched the goggles land in the grass, she felt her eyes tearing up again, _Is that why he drinks, _she thought, _Cause most of everybody he ever loved is gone?_

She knew that, but she didn't realize how bad it was. From all the stories Tesla told her, he never gave much details of the bad parts. That was what he was holding in, all this time he was holding in grief. He was trying to suppress it with alcohol, but Volta took that from him. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon felt her heart sink, he was suffering because she was suffering. It was a vicious cycle.

Volta crept passed Tesla and picked up his eye-goggles, they smelled leathery and were quite warn. She peaked through one of the lens. Yikes, his eyes were that bad! If they were that bad, why did he throw them? Volta carried the goggles back to Tesla. The old Pikachu's face was buried in the grass, watering it with his tears. She got down on her knees and hugged him, Tesla's crying ceased.

_"I love you, Tesla," _said Volta, _"I will always love you no matter how much you hurt me."_

Tesla wrapped his arms around Volta, _"Your mother died trying to save you," _he said in Pokémon speech, _"She was shot in the process, bled to death. __I don't know what her last words were, but I bet they were for you. She died with her eyes open, locked onto your egg. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I didn't __want to __tell you because your mama died in pain, __and with uncertainty that you would survive or not.__"_

_ "__I don't care how she died," _said Volta, _"I don't care if the Dixierats eat her corpse. What matters is that she was there for me, she protected me. It was actually you who saved me from the poachers, if you weren't there, I wouldn't have a chance at life," _then she added, "_I came with you because I wanted to give back. I know, I don't have anything much to give. I know I'm sometimes a pain in your ass and I know you don't have much heart for anything else. All I can give you is the chance to finally feel what it's like to be a father."_

Volta held up Tesla's goggles, the old Pikachu picked them up and stared at them for a moment. He then looked at Volta and took a deep breath, "I don't know what to say."

_"You don't need to say anything."_

Tesla wiped away the rest of his tears and put on his goggles, "Come on, let's head back to the Pokémon Center. We'll sleep in late this time."

The old Pikachu picked up Volta and sat her on his head. When they were halfway there, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon fell asleep, smiling.

**. . .**

The sixth day was the best day of the week. Tesla and Volta's bond seemed to increase. Hipp noticed the change and was quite pleased, especially when Volta gave her a hug. Instead of heading back to the Red Rock Hotel, Tesla and Volta head out to explore Vegas City. Hipp was right behind them, and as always, was throwing fits about their eating habits. She couldn't speak out about it, she was supposed to be on _vacation. _Tesla took joy in Hipp's plight, he even went so far by having Volta eat a ton of hot-pockets. The Audino was pulling her ears out, seeing all that greasy food go down Volta's throat sprained a lobe.

Before long, Tesla played with Volta at the park. He was in no condition to go running around, so he picked up Volta by the legs and held her upside-down. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon giggled as Tesla tickled her belly and armpits, swinging back and forth with laughter. Hipp managed a smile from that, until Tesla held her for a little too long. Just when she was about to warn him not to hold her like that, Tesla sat her down and Volta charged at Hipp. She latched onto Hipp's belly and nibbled her fur with her teeth. Hipp pulled Volta off, then she latched onto her arm and started nibbling her fingers. The Hearing Pokémon panicked, almost trying to swing her off her arm. Volta eventually let go, casually dropping to the ground before running back to Tesla.

They paid a visit to the electric-type gym hosting the Faraday Power Tournament. Tesla was sure it was called the Vegas City Gym, but he wasn't sure. It might have another name, something unofficial. He made a mental note to look into it later. When they approach the gym, there were people hanging around out front. Tesla's eyes went big, glittering under the sun, _"It's beautiful!"_

_ "What is?" _Hipp asked.

_"Look."_

In the center of the yard, people circled around a Tesla coil. The coil was as tall as two refrigerators, huge wire cables snaked to the building where they tap into it's electrical circuit. The coil was spewing out white electricity through the top, buzzing with loud pitches that sounded like they had gone mad. Stucky was there, operating the controls at a safe distance. Tesla looked around the crowd and saw there were several electric-types out, all of them were small enough to be carried on their trainers' shoulders. They too looked interested in the flashy Tesla coil.

_"You know," _said Tesla, _"I feel like doing something stupid today."_

Hipp opened her mouth to warn him not to pull any stunts, only to find Tesla handing Volta to her before walking off into the crowd.

The crowd quickly took noticed of Tesla as he walked up to Stucky, he tugged at his pants, "Hello, Stucky."

"Tesla, I heard about what happened. You were all over the news, they said about you getting a liver transplant."

"The doctors printed out a new liver to replace the old and battered one, I think I've set new records that day."

"Are you okay?" Stucky asked.

"Never better, Stucky," then Tesla asked, "By the way, you wanna see how I've earned my name?"

"How exactly?"

"Watch."

Tesla stepped into the danger zone, everyone looked on with curiosity and worry. The coil buzzed with electricity, electrifying the air with multiple tongues of artificial lightning. Tesla held up his hand at the coil, one of the tongues took notice and ground itself into the palm of Tesla's hand. The coil didn't changed pitch or anything, it carried on like normal.

"What in the world?" someone from the crowd asked.

The coil sparked through Tesla's body, grounding through his feet. The old Pikachu showed no signs of ailments or sickness, he just stood there as the coil charged up his hand, "Tesla coils are actually transformers," said Tesla, "The same kind of transformers you find at your local power grid. They take the voltage of electricity and either raise or lower the speed of flow. Do you know it takes a million volts for electricity to spark like this?"

A lot of heads shook no.

Tesla held up his other hand, the thin arch of electricity switched over to his other palm, "I was named Tesla because I can manipulate electricity, with my hands, with my mind. It takes a lot of skill and nerve to channel a million volts through your system without having it mess up your nervous system. Believe me, get the connection wrong and you lose control of your limbs, your face, and worst of all, your bowels. For all of you electric-types out there, don't try this at home. You'll get Overcharge and splatter your guts all over the wall. Believe me, I know," he then turned to Stucky, "Is this Tesla coil on full voltage?"

"Nope." said Stucky.

"Boost it just a tap."

Stucky turned the dial, the Tesla coil just heightened in pitch. The arch of electricity shifted again, leaping from Tesla's hand and centering around the top of his head. Everyone held their breath, "Ahhh yeaaah." Tesla smiled.

A Minchino tried stepping into the danger zone, but its trainer pulled it back. The crowd watched Tesla stood there for 5 minutes before Stucky killed the switch, the old Pikachu's cheeks sparkled purple electricity as he stretched his limbs, "I suppose everything is in order." he said.

"Uh, you're feeling alright, Tesla?" Stucky asked.

"Give me a moment."

Everyone moved away as Tesla walked up to a lightpole, he pressed his hand against the pole and his body burst into bright purple light for a fraction of a second. The light above flickered and blew out the moment Tesla's cheeks stopped sparkling, "Okay, now I'm fine." he said as broken glass rained down around him.

"I wanna see that again!" someone blurted out.

Tesla walked back to Hipp and took Volta from her hands, _"Okay," _he said, _"Let's go."_

He turned back towards the crowd, "See you tomorrow guys!" he waved.

The crowd broke out clapping and whistling, Tesla simply shrugged, _"I__'m telling__ you, __Hipp__" _he said, _"They __can't__ get enough of me."_

**. . .**

_"__Wotter," _Smugleaf asked, _"Are you alright?"_

Wotter didn't answer. He'd just laid there, curled up in the fetal position. Smugleaf reached out and touched his shoulder, the Discipline Pokémon swat it away, _"I'm fine," _Wotter barked, _"Just give me some space, Smugleaf!"_

Smugleaf stepped back, _"If there's anything you want to talk about, Wotter, don't be afraid to do so."_

Wotter sat up and shot her a look, _"Since when do you care?"_

_ "Since I joined the PRA," _said Smugleaf, _"You affect a lot more folks than you realize."_

The Discipline Pokémon looked away, he simply shook his head, _"Fifteen years . . . fifteen years of compassion. You've killed dozens upon dozens of Pokemon for personal reasons and you have compassion?"_

Smugleaf frowned, _I haven't heard that tone in a long time._

_ "You never let anyone close, do you."_

That was no question, Wotter turned back to her. He points a finger at her, _"You had a nice and loving trainer who adores you, I had a trainer who f*cking kicked the sh*t out of me and left me to rot! How the f*ck do we have anything in common!?"_

Wotter's eyes were tearing up, this always happen every time Smugleaf presses in on his personal issues. When angry, he was an asshole. When stricken in grief, he was a sobbing asshole. Interestingly enough, this only happens when Wotter's away from Fort Wernher. He never breaks down when inside the comfort of PRA HQ.

_"Wotter," _said Smugleaf, _"We're both experts on swords and knives and trained killers, that's why we always go out together to get sh*t done."_

_ "F*ck you, Smugleaf!"_

Wotter buried his head into the mattress, the safehouse went silent.

_"Did something happen yesterday that's making you this upset?" _Smugleaf suddenly asked.

The Discipline Pokémon didn't respond right away, _"Yes, something happened. I f*cked up."_

_ "You what?"_

Wotter sat up again, _"I got cornered by a trainer, no older than 10 years old. I've snapped his neck and dumped his body in the storm drain."_

Smugleaf's eyes went big, _"What about his Pokemon, what happened to them!?"_

_ "__What d__o you think happened?"_

Smugleaf said nothing.

_"I've ballsed up, I've made a mistake. They won't find his body in a few days, so we'll be gone by then. However his disappearance will be note__d. This is a kid, Smugleaf. A kid. If he's an outsider, then we won't have to worry about it. But if he's a local, the police would step up their game."_

Smugleaf nodded, _"Here, take your mind off of it by cleaning the MP5s. There's nothing we could do about it now, what's happened. We're only going to be here for a couple of more days, and then we're gone. Think about it, Wotter. Pizza and beer waiting for us at home."_

_ "Yeah," _he said, _"Pizza and beer are good together, but only when the pizza's fresh and hot and the beer's near freezing."_

As Wotter got up, Smugleaf patted him on the back, _"Atta boy!"_

**. . .**

Ash's afternoon went smoothly. Pikachu was doing well, his tail was feeling much better and showed signs the brace might be off next week. However, it was odd seeing Pikachu hunched over on his belly like that most of the time. Ash tried making Pikachu more comfortable by cradling him in his arms, giving his tail more room to sway. It worked, but only if Ash doesn't touch the tail.

He and his friends decided to go visit the park. When they arrived, they found Tesla and Volta. Both Mice Pokémon were napping under a tree. Tesla was flat on his back, Volta sleeping on top of his belly. Both Pokémon's mouths were locked open, letting out soft snores under their breath.

Hipp sat against the tree, having fallen asleep as well. Her nurse cap had fallen off, it laid on her lap as she snored peacefully.

Tesla's ears twitched, he let out a yawn and sat up. Volta tumbled off his belly and rolled onto the grass. She didn't stir, she was too deep in sleep to notice.

"Is that you, Ash?" Tesla called out.

"It's me!" Ash called out.

Tesla stretched his legs as they approached, he let out a smile, "It's always great to see you, Ash, both in good times and bad. I tell you, I'm feeling great today."

"How's your liver?" Ash asked.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked.

"No problems with it," said Tesla, "If there were, you would be talking to a corpse."

"What are you going to do after the Faraday Power Tournament?" Cilan asked.

"Wonder out of Vegas City, heading who knows where. Hopefully Volta would evolve soon, that way I would stop carrying her weight."

Tesla picked up Volta and held her in his arms, "Anything new, Ash."

"So far, no. What are you up to today?"

"Hmm, I gotta call Matt sooner or later. He's probably worried sick, maybe I'll call Mark and give him an earful on how much of an idiot he is. I'm still wondering what he's up to with my great-granddaughter."

Hipp stirred and looked up, "Audino?" she asked.

"Pika Pikachu." Tesla said in Pokémon speech.

"Aud."

Tesla helped Hipp up and hands her her nurse cap, "I recommend getting a healing Pokemon, Ash. These Audinos are fun to have around," he then turned to him, "Here, let's head back to the Red Rock Hotel. If you want, I'll give you some wisdom in handling Pokemon."

"Sure, Tes." said Ash.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu chirped.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__7_

The videophone rang with the volume of a train horn. Ash and his friends kicked their blankets up in the air, throwing Pikachu and Axew aside like ragged dolls. As Pikachu screamed in agony, everyone made a mad dash for the videophone. Ash tripped and fell to the floor, Iris stepped on his butt and tripped. Cilan leaped over them but stubbed his toe against the bed frame, he hopped on one foot, gripping his toe in pain before crashing into the wall.

Ash sprung up from the floor and rip the receiver off the videophone, "Hello?"

"This is your wake up call," said a female voice, "Do you need anything."

"No, thank you."

Ash sat the receiver back in its cradle. He glanced at the touchscreen, the digital clock read 6:30AM.

"Okay," he breathed, "I guess the videophone was a bad idea."

"Well it got us up," said Cilan, he flexed his toes and stamped on his aching foot, "Sometimes we have to taste the bitter stew for the day ahead."

Ash pressed the touchscreen and dialed the Vegas City Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy's face appeared after a couple of rings, "Morning, Ash." said Nurse Joy.

"Morning," said Ash, "Is Tesla there?"

"Sure, I'll go see if he's still up."

Nurse Joy walked away for a moment. After a few minutes of staring at the wall, Ash heard a stool screech against the floor on the other side, then Tesla popped up from the bottom of the screen. Volta sat proudly on his head, her smile wider than sunshine, "Morning, Ash," said Tesla, "Volta and I will be over right away."

"Pichu Pi!" Volta waved.

Ash made a small save, "Morning, Volta."

"Ah, look," Iris gawked as she approached, "She's happy to see you, Ash!"

"Morning, Iris," said Tesla, "Will you have a waffle ready for Volta?"

"We'll have one ready for her."

"Okay, good. We'll see you then, guys."

The videophone's touchscreen went blank.

"We better get ready," said Ash, "I can't wait to see Volta battle!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu chirped.

**. . .**

Tesla arrived at the Red Rock Hotel within 30 minutes. He and Volta had just showered, their fur was still roughly wet. Tesla had his bandages cleaned of pus and changed. They still itched, yet the soap and water soothed whatever rash that lay on his skin. Hipp followed behind, she too had showered and was ready. This time she left the nurse cap back at the Pokémon Center. Tesla insisted her to. She complied without argument, since she was supposed to be on vacation, not working.

A steaming waffle, loaded with syrup and butter, awaited Volta at the hotel's breakfast room. She dove into it with a ferocious appetite. Hipp had to look away, resisting the urge to tell her to slow down.

"You're nervous, Tesla?" Ash asked.

Tesla shook his head, "Not really, no. I've been under the spotlight and in front of TV cameras for most of my life. I'm not feeling anxious one bit."

_"Me neither!" _Volta chirped with a mouthful of waffle.

Just as Volta was about to stick another piece of waffle in her mouth, Tesla grabbed her wrist, "Volta, slow down. I know you want to give Hipp a heart attack, and I do love to see you do so, yet it is not worth you choking."

Volta took a moment and swallowed her food, Tesla let go of her hand and she went back stuffing herself. Hipp breathed a sigh of relief as she relaxed in her chair, _"Why do you have to tease me so much?"_

_ "Cause neither of us can't help it," _Tesla said in Pokémon speech, _"Force of habit, I suppose."_

_ "__Habit? Really?" _Hipp groaned, _"Why do I even follow you around?"_

_ "Cause this is what you've signed your vacation hours for. Just relax, Hipp. Enjoy life a little, how many times I have to tell you."_

Hipp wasn't listening, her hands were glued over her ears.

_"Oh sure," _said Tesla, _"Don't listen to an old geezer like me. Go ahead, be ignorant! I'm sure you behave that way to Nurse Joy, do you!?"_

The Hearing Pokémon's hands ground down her face, then flopped on her lap, _"One of these days," _said Tesla, _"You'll learn to have your cake and eat it too."_

Hipp crossed her arms and pouted, "Hmph!"

**. . .**

Almost halfway across town, Smugleaf and Wotter rose from their mold-infested beds and stretched their legs. The Snivy broke out the brushes and oil and began cleaning the guns. She does this every morning and evening, as there was no telling when they would need them. She took the guns apart, lubricated the chambers and barrels. Smugleaf made sure she got the moving parts all lubricated, she couldn't afford the guns to jam.

Wotter sorted through the ammunition, counted each individual bullet they had. He told Smugleaf to write it down on some used paper, then brought up the clips, _"When we leave," _said Wotter, _"We'll have to take all the ammunition and the clips, we can't leave any evidence of firearms here. If the URP gets a hold of a single brass casing-"_

_ "They'll tie it to Rodriguez," _said Smugleaf, _"And eventually Richardson."_

Wotter then added, _"Any evidence of Pokémon DNA..."_

_ "And they'll know the PRA camped here."_

Wotter managed a smile, _"Correct, Smugleaf."_

Smugleaf smiled, _"You look better with a smile, Wotter."_

The Discipline Pokémon shrugged, _"I wish I could hold it for an entire day."_

Smugleaf reassembled the weapons and put them within easy reach, _"Okay," _she said, _"The Faraday Power Tournament is today, you want to go over there and watch the battles?"_

Wotter frowned, _"I would say no, but our target is there. Yes, I know we can't gun the boy down on the spot. But I would like to know a little more about Cabot Richardson, and why Nobark wants him have a grizzly death."_

_ "Agreed," _said Smugleaf, _"But we can't just show up without a trainer or anything, that would attract attention. It's best if we sneak in and find a hiding place that overlooks the arena."_

_ "You have your lock-picking tools?"_

_ "I always do."_

_ "Okay, let's go gather up all the remaining food we have. There's no telling how long this tournament would last."_

_ "I think it's an all-day event."_

_ "If that's the case, we should bring piss-bottles."_

Smugleaf just stared at him.

_"What?" _Wotter asked.

_"I'll need more than bottles, Wotter."_

Wotter's eyes went big, _"Oh. Uh, of course."_

**. . .**

Long lines of people gathered at the front entrance of the Vegas City Gym. Tickets were being sold at the dozens as people flocked inside. The arena itself was large. Everything about it was metal. The panels, floor, walls and ceiling were made out of steel. The seats and the floor beneath them were rubberized and insulated to prevent unintended electrocutions. It wasn't unheard of that bystanders getting shocked by a Thunderbolt that had traveled through the metal floors.

The seats had filled up within minutes of the gym's daily opening. On the overhead jumbo-tron, a bright yellow lightning-bolt appeared over a purple background. It pulsed twice, shrinking then enlarging, before settling into its final size.

Ash and his friends arrived and mingled with the crowd, awaiting for their tickets. Tesla and Volta, however, managed to get in with the contestants around the back. He walked down a barely lit hallway and meet up with them at the locker room. It was just a door away to the arena, Tesla could hear the echoes of a thousand conversations pouring in through the open door. Volta shivered in his arms, she grabbed Tesla's hand and held it tight, _"Don't worry," _said Tesla, _"No one's not going to be mean to you."_

Volta managed a smile, _"That's good to know."_

There were eight contestants in the room, including Tesla. Among the seven were Kayla and Cabot. The others were trainers Tesla recognized from the crowd at the Red Rock Hotel, they all gave Tesla minor glances but said nothing. Everyone sat and waited for Jack Stucky to brief them. They all listened to the crowd outside, who were eagerly waiting to see them battle.

"How you're feeling, Tesla?" Cabot asked, breaking the silence.

"This morning I felt excited," he said, "Then some memories came up from my heyday, unpleasant memories."

"What happened?" Kayla asked.

Tesla sighed, "My trainer Irvin owned a gym, ran it for 50 years. I was the prop on his shoulder while the crowd cheers him on. I went to battle a big ground-type Pokémon. I couldn't remember what it was, all I know it was huge and it took in a lot of punishment. I was at a disadvantage. My electric-attacks, no matter how ungodly powerful, would only tickle the bastard. To be honest, I never tried an electric-attack on a ground-type. Irvin never ordered me to, instead he told me to use mys tail and bare hands."

"Did you win?" one of the contestants asked.

"Yes, but I broke several bones in doing it, including a concussion. I should have gone to the Pokémon Center for the injuries I have, you know what Irvin did instead?"

"What did he do?" Cabot asked.

"He took me home and tucked me into bed. He gave me no herbs or healing powder, just bandaged my wounds and braced my broken bones. I was in so much pain that I thought I was going to die. It's like my system was going into meltdown."

"My gosh!" gasped Kayla, "How come he didn't take you to the Pokémon Center!?"

"He was a Pokémon _Master_, he knows the ins and outs of Pokémon like he knew the streets of his hometown. He does that to boost tolerance to pain. Increases our stamina. Our will. He wasn't doing it to be mean or anything, he'd just wanted to boost our tolerance. I'd believed his logic, and so did his Pokémon. We've loved him, even though he was using methods that could be considered Pokémon abuse."

"Damn," said Cabot, "No wonder you were so angry."

Tesla frowned, "My temper has nothing to do with him, Cabot. It has to do with the worst of humanity. It corrupted me to the point that I've became more of a monster than a creature," he clutched Volta in his arms and sighed, "Most of the trainers out there won't see it, all they see is a Pikachu wearing silly welding goggles. Only the Pokémon see it, and they fear me."

Stucky came walking into the room, he holding a clipboard in his hands, "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes." said the contestants in unison.

"Okay, remember. Electric-types only, and only one Pokémon. Four each at each gate, you'll be picked randomly with someone. Have fun, guys."

Everyone got up and walked back out into the hall, just before Tesla and Volta left Jack stopped them, "It's great to see you back in the game, Tesla, but are you sure Volta could handle the abuse?"

"She will," said Tesla, "She has cards hidden up her sleeve."

Stucky padded Tesla on the head, "Hope the crowd doesn't go too crazy over you."

**. . .**

There were few security guards around the Vegas City gym, most were either fat rent-a-cops or old guys who look like they were pushing 80. It wasn't that difficult for Wotter and Smugleaf to sneak pass security, they made their way to a secluded area of the Vegas City Gym. There was a ladder leading up to the roof. It looked rusty, maybe it hadn't been used for years. Smugleaf picked the lock to the latch, it too was rusty and battered. At first it seemed like the lock had all became a single piece, but after a few tight jerks the lock gave up and broke free. The hatch came down in a loud noisy groaned, rust and paint flaked away as gravity pulled it down.

_"Too easy." _Smugleaf breathed.

They both readjusted their leather backpacks and climbed up the ladder. Smugleaf went up first, Wotter gave it a couple of seconds before following her. When they got to the roof, they jogged across to a nearby air vent. The grate was no more rusty as the ladder. It was screwed in place, and it looked like rust had fused the screws to the grate.

_"Got a screwdriver?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"F*ck the screwdriver."_

Wotter pulled out Razor Shell and violently pried the grate off the air vent. The rusted screws broke away with little resistance. The grate would have clattered if Smugleaf hadn't caught it, she heaved it aside with all her strength and laid it on the gravel roof, _"I hope that didn't make too much noise."_

_ "We've gotta put that cover back on in case someone comes up here," _said Wotter, _"Here, hold it up."_

Smugleaf stood up the grate. Wotter rooted into his backpack and pulled out some black nylon rope. He snaked one end through the grate and triple-knotted it in place, then tossed the other end down the air vent's abyss, _"__You're lighter," _he said, _"I'll hold the grate until you made it down, then I'll close the grate."_

_ "Got it."_

Smugleaf picked up the rope and stepped tail-first into the air vent. She vanished into the air vent and the rope tightened. Wotter tilt the grate forward and hanged on as Smugleaf made her way down, _"How deep is it, Smugleaf?" _Wotter called out to her.

_"Five or seven meters," _she said, _"I think-"_

Her voice got caught off when the rope slackened, Wotter heard her swore _"Oh sh*t!"_ before she hit the bottom. It sounded like thunder was coming out of the air vents. Wotter sat the grate down and stuck his head in, _"Are you okay, Smugleaf!?"_

_ "I'm fine," _she weakly called out, _"I think I farted when I hit the bottom."_

Wotter stepped into the air vent and pulled the grate back in place, after making sure it was securely back on he grabbed the rope and propelled himself down. It deeper he gone, the darker it became. Wotter knew he was close to the bottom when he smelled Smugleaf's putrid fart. He covered his nose as his feet found the bottom. He turned around and saw Smugleaf sitting there, laying herself out in a pose with a smirk on her face.

Wotter simply stared at her.

_"What?" _asked the Grass Snake Pokemon.

_"What part of you did you land on?" _he asked.

_"My belly," _she said, _"You know, it's quite spacious in here."_

_ "Sure it is," _said Wotter, _"This gym is huge, it has to be."_

Indeed it was spacious, the ventilation shaft was a meter tall and a meter wide. A lot of breathing room to move around and sit up, _"Okay," _she said, _"Let's see where this leads."_

The vent was large enough for Smugleaf to walk through, but Wotter had to crouch. A steady breeze blew past them as they made their way down the vents. It was a little chilly, but at least the air smelled fresh. They kept quiet as they made their way pass several vents, though there weren't people in the rooms they couldn't be too careful. Sound travels pretty far down air vents, there was no telling who could hear them.

_"This is nerve-racking." _Smugleaf whispered.

_"You can say that again."_

Up head they found another grate, Smugleaf peaked through it, _"What is it, Smugleaf?" _Wotter asked.

_"Jackpot." _she simply says.

Smugleaf grabbed the vent and slid it off, she sat it aside. They could both hear a hundred faint voices yammering away, _"Check this out."_

It was a ledge, no more than three meters wide. It looked over the entire arena, Wotter and Smugleaf could see the entire field with no problem, _"I think we're here just in time." _said Smugleaf.

_"Let's bust out the pillows and blankets," _said Wotter, _"then we'll sit back and watch."_

Smugleaf pulled a couple of blankets out of her backpack and tossed one to Wotter, they spread it out on the ledge and sat on them. Then they pulled out several juice bottles and bags of chips and jerky and their remaining MRE's. They sat back and munched on their snack as they watched the show.

**. . .**

Ash and his friends sat comfortably in their seats. Axew was snugged in Iris's hair, Pikachu rest easily on Ash's lap. Hipp sat next to Ash, gripping the bottom of her seat with the tips of her fingers. Ash looked around, the crowd's voices sounded pretty excited. Either they were eager for the tournament to begin or wondering if Tesla was going to be the center of attention. Ash heard Tesla's name mentioned every 7 seconds, along with Volta's name as well, _What are they expecting, really? _Ash wondered to himself. Of course they were glad to see him battle, but he isn't the one doing the actual battling. He was "calling the shots" as Tesla put it. Volta was the one throwing the punches. Ash was a little worried. He was impressed by Volta's performance, he wasn't worried there. Could Volta handle the attention of one-thousand or two-thousand people?

_She's shy, _Ash thought, _Really shy, we hadn't trained her to handle so much attention._

"Are you okay, Ash?" asked Iris, "You seemed a little zoned out."

"I'm fine." said Ash.

At that moment, Jack Stucky walked into the center of the field. The crowd cheered on as he raised a microphone to his mouth, "Welcome to the annual Faraday Power Tournament," his voice boomed over the speakers, "I'm your host, Jack Stucky, some of you know me as the referee at the Faraday City Gym at Faraday Island."

The crowd's voice raised and lowered.

"Today, we have 8 contestants willing to battle," the jumbo-tron pulled up the pictures of the contestants. Cabot's picture was at the upper left corner. On the lower right was a shaded picture with a yellow question mark over it. No doubt it was Tesla, maybe they were keeping it a surprise, "The price will be a hundred-thousand Pokédollars!"

The jumbo-tron exploded with dollars and coins, the crowd cheered on.

Stucky walked to the edge of the arena and climbed up a flight of stairs to the bleachers. He sat at a heavy wooden desk facing the field. Next to him was a man wearing a white lab coat wearing a pair of spectacles, his red hair was neatly combed and held in place with gel, "I'll be judging our battles along with my assistant, Dr. Lenny Ameren. A Pokémon scientist closely associated with Professor Juniper. Tell me, Lenny, are you excited?"

"Yes, I am," said Dr. Ameren, "I was told there was going to be a lightshow."

The crowd let out a laugh.

Dr. Ameren looked up at the jumbo-tron, then frowned, "Say, Stucky, who is our mystery contestant on the jumbo-tron?"

"Our mystery contestant is an old friend of mine," said Stucky, "This contestant is actually a Pokémon, who had battled many showdowns in his heyday and was trained by former Pokémon Master, Irvin Westinghouse..."

**. . .**

"You gotta be f*cking kidding me." Tesla growled as he listened to Stucky's speech.

"Legend has it that he never lost a single battle and had traveled far and wide, capturing Pokemon, and saving the day by Irvin's side. He is adored and loved by fans across the globe, especially in his hometown of Faraday City! He has inspired millions to become Pokémon trainers and gym leaders."

Tesla swore in Pokémon speech, he turned around and head back into the hall. He found a bench, sitting underneath a flickering florescent light. Just when Tesla sat down, the florescent light sparkled and died. A shadow descended over Tesla's head.

Volta cautiously approached Tesla, the old Pikachu continued to swear and grumble his frustrations until the Tiny Mouse Pokémon was at his feet, _"Please don't be mad, Tesla." _she pleaded.

Tesla just looked at her for a moment, then sighed, "I had firmly told Stucky _not _to give the crowd and anonymous bio. Everybody knows it's me! They already know-"

_"TESLA," _Volta screamed, her voice bouncing off the walls, _"DON'T BE MAD! NOT TODAY, EVER!"_

Tesla threw his hands up and pressed his back against the wall. Both Mouse Pokémon exchange glances. Volta's eyes blazed with fire with anger steaming out her ears. This wasn't like her, this wasn't the kind of Pichu he took responsibility to raise.

The soreness in Tesla's heart came back, this time with vengeance.

"Volta," Tesla snapped at her, pulling whatever discipline he could muster, "Don't talk like that, I didn't raise you to have that kind of attitude!"

_"YES, YOU F*CKING DID," _Volta blew up, she pointed a finger at him, _"Every time you get depressed, I get depressed! Every time you get frustrated, I get frustrated! __Every time you get drunk, you shrug me off when heading off to f*ck know's where. No, you didn't hit me or anything. You NEGLECT ME!"_

Volta's cheeks sparkled with rage, she panted hard between breaths, _"I don't care Team Rocket ripped you out of your parent's arms and locked you up to rot! I don't care the breeders took Polly away! You took me in because you don't want me to suffer the same fate as you! Well, Tesla, you failed! You failed because you haven't counted on me picking up your true feelings! You got a family who loves you, Tesla! __But you shunned them, shunned them because they're fat f*cks who do nothing but sleep and eat, according to you!_

_ "I don't care if you saved them from the poachers! It doesn't do any good if you don't love them as you love me. Tesla, for f*ck sake, you shunned them! You always said you wanted your family back! Well, you got it! This is it! Yes, they're stupid fat f*cks, but that gives you no reason to shun them __because they act immature and hardship__!_

_ "You failed, Tesla! __You failed on so many levels!"_

Tesla's ears were still ringing. Wow, that was an earful. Each word had tore deep into his heart and reopened several old wounds. And now he was seeing them in the flesh before his very eyes.

Volta's cheeks stopped sparkling, tears surged up and extinguished the fire in her eyes. She looked at her hands and made tiny balls of fists, _"Tesla," _she said, _"You've gotta let it all go, or you'll doom the next generation with your curse. Why do you think your heart is sore? It's warning you of the predicament you're making."_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon held her head, her eyes drooped. She stumbled backwards and collapsed on the ground. Tesla gasped, he jumped off the bench and scooped her up, "Volta," he said, "Can you hear me?"

Volta weakly nodded, then sobbed, _"What did I just do!?"_

_ "You've just let it all out is all," _he said in Pokémon speech, the old Pikachu took her back to the bench and sat down, _"You're right, you're right in every case. I didn't realize how smart you are, or how mature you've become. I'm sorry, Volta. But please know this, I am an old, really old. I can't help my temper and I can't help the pain. There's so many factors that I don't even know why I still feel it."_

"Volta," he spoke in human speech, "I'm sorry. I never wanted you to battle in the first place because I feared you would wound up like me. I'm sorry, Volta. I was scared. I thought I could wear you out and discourage you but I've been hurting you instead! You're right, I failed. I failed because I was crushing your dreams, and in turn I was hurting myself."

Tesla sat there on his knees, clutching Volta in his arms. He raised her up and whispered into her ear, "The next time I drink, it would be for pleasure, not for grief."

The florescent light above them clicked on, shining bright light down on them. Tesla looked up in amazement, it was if their essence had reset the light's lifespan.

Volta's eyes flickered open, she leaned forward and hugged him, _"__You tell them what happened to you, Tesla," _she said, _"Tell them when you get the chance, leave nothing out."_

The old wounds resealed, the soreness in Tesla's chest shriveled and faded to nothing. Tesla breathed, with his heart no longer straining the world felt more right.

Tesla sat Volta back down on the floor, "You feeling better, Volta?" he asked, "Is it all out?"

_"Everything that counts," _she said, _"the rest I'll save for battle."_

"I'm sorry, Volta."

_"It was not your fault. I'm sorry I dumped all that on you, I loved you and I needed to get through to you."_

"I'm an old Pikachu, Volta, I'm a hard nut to crack. But you've surprised me again, and bust through."

Volta sniffled, _"I don't think I'm still a good little Pichu."_

"To me, you are. I know the stuff you've felt from me is bad, but the question is: How would you use it in your favor?"

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon looked up, _"What do you mean?"_

"Everybody will just see a cute little Pichu who looks weak, they'll might worry about you. The trick is to keep them worrying, and give your opponent something called Victory Disease. Make him feel like he's winning, then hit 'em when they least expect it."

_"But you said not to pull-"_

Tesla rest his hand on her shoulder, "I know what I've said. But this is your battle, your field. You bend your opponent to your rules."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon smiled, _"I got a wild card, and no, it's not peeing myself to draw them in."_

"What is it, Volta?" Tesla asked.

_"You'll see, you'll be so proud."_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__8_

The first battle of round one had passed while Volta was doing her rant. Sal defeated Angie's Galvantula with his Stunfisk, it was a close match that lasted only 47 minutes.

Tesla and Volta sat in the shadows as they watched the second match, the other contestants stood watch as Ricky and Cabot went up, "Coming up from Nimbasa City," announced Stucky, "who knows more about the insides of a battery more than Dr. Ameren, we have Ricky and his Eletrik!"

"Ele what?" Tesla thought aloud.

Ricky snaked his hand into his pocket and pulled out a Poké ball, "Come on out, Eletrik!"

The Elefish Pokémon materialized before Ricky, Tesla's eyes went big, "Holy sh*t, he reminds me of a science fiction film I saw in my fifties!"

And boy it was ugly! It held its worm-like body up like a snake, its sharp teeth protracting from its round mouth. These bastards don't go down easily. In the wild, they paralyze their prey then shred their heads off with those hack saw teeth. Volta squeezed Tesla's hand, as if she was holding on for dear life.

"Looks are deceiving, Volta," said Tesla, "I bet you can beat that Eletrik 3 times in a row."

An image came up to Tesla's mind, he pictured the Eletrik stunning Volta with Discharge. While she was down, it heaved its ugly mouth and tore Volta's head off. Blood and guts spew out everywhere as Volta's still-beating heart bled all over the field. The Eletrik finished grounding up Volta's head, then scooped her body up and down her into its vile belly.

Tesla blinked, he looked down and found his hand pressing against Volta's chest. His fingers sliding across the lining of her pink handkerchief. He took a deep breath and exhaled, "Damn."

_"Are you okay, Tesla?" _Volta asked in her adorable voice.

"Oh, I'm just thinking what you would look like coming out the other end of that Eletrik."

Volta elbowed him in the thigh, both she and Tesla chuckled.

"Here we have a gym leader from the town of Soho," Stucky announced, "A master at trigonometry and Pokémon breeding, give it up for Cabot Richardson!"

The crowd cheered slightly louder, Tesla could see a few girls in the crowd throw their hands up in the air. Tesla couldn't help but smile, he had helped make Cabot famous some time ago.

"Emolga," said Cabot as he brought a Poké ball to full swing, "I choose you!"

The smile dropped when Sky Squirrel Pokémon flashed before Cabot, its eyes twinkled underneath the florescent lighting of the arena, _"Hi, ya'll!" _it chirped.

Among all the Pokémon Cabot could choose from, he chose an Emolga. Those flying f*cks. Queer little bastards they are, they do nothing but try to be cute and stuff their face with apples. And for Mark's Emolga, _she _eats nothing but fast food and snacks from convenience stores. Steam poured out of Tesla's ears as the thought bounced inside his skull,

_"Piece of little sh*t." _he swore in Pokémon speech.

Volta jammed her elbow into his thigh again, this time harder. It felt like someone took a hammer and smashed it against its femur. Tesla clenched his teeth, he felt his thigh throb with his heartbeat.

_Oh yeah, the temper._

The second match started off steadily at first, the Eletrik unleashed powerful blows. Cabot's Emolga kept dodging, it jumped and twirled mid-air. Then dodge-rolled against incoming electric-attacks. Tesla's eyes widened, this was not what he expected. He was used to seeing a lot of Emolgas being fat and lazy, gluttonous even. Not this Emolga. Its skin was tight against its muscles instead of bulging with excess fat, and its acrobatics was faster than lightning. This Emolga was far from being a lazy couch potato, it was an athletic battling machine.

The Eletrik learned this the hard way, it struggled to keep up as Cabot ordered quick blows against the scaly beast. In a way, the Eletrik was a battleship, able to unleash slow powerful attacks while taking in enormous damage, while the Emolga was the destroyer, who unleash quick well-aimed blows while constantly moving.

If the Eletrik could land one blow on Emolga, the tides would turn.

That blow almost came when Rickie ordered it to use Iron Tail, as it swing it around Cabot ordered his Emolga to counter with Hidden Power. Three balls of green plasma explode through the sky as Eletrik's tail turned steel, he jumped and swing its tail around like a baseball bat. He missed by a few centimeters, the Hidden Power struck him square in the chest and knocked him spinning halfway across the field.

The Eletrik hit the ground hard, spirals swirling in its eyes.

Stucky thumbed the mic, his voice boomed across the arena, "Eletrik is unable to battle, this match goes to Cabot and his Emolga!"

"Nailed it!" Cabot cheered, punching his fist into the air.

_"Yeah!" _his Emolga cheered.

Tesla wasn't impressed. He had too many scenarios where Pokémon get their hopes to high, only to find themselves crashing back down, _Don't celebrate yet, _Tesla thought, _there's still some more matches to go._

**. . .**

_"That Emolga sure is cute," _said Smugleaf, she laid on her belly holding up her head while overlooking the arena below, _"I would love to get a date with it."_

Wotter sipped from a water bottle, _"Will the date end with you and that Emolga between the sheets?"_

Smugleaf shot a look at him, _"Don't be so direct, Wotter! With a little Attract, it always ends between the sheets."_

_ "That Emolga knows Attract as well, you think you could cast yours before it does?"_

_ "That Sky Squirrel won't get a chance to react."_

Wotter made a devilish grin, _"Would you need any help for that moment?"_

Smugleaf frowned, _"No, Wotter."_

**. . .**

When Cabot came through the gate, his Emolga danced behind him. Like any other Sky Squirrel, this one had a high level of confidence. It probably thinks it was going to win the tournament. Volta rushed up to Emolga, the two looked each other over for a brief few seconds. Then Volta leaped up and gave Emolga a hug, which the Sky Squirrel gladly returns.

"Look at that," said Kayla, "They're instant friends!"

The Emolga let go of Volta and turned to Tesla, the instant they made eye-contact was enough to change its mood. The Sky Squirrel's eyes bulged, it shivered down to the ends of its fur.

"What's wrong, Emolga?" Cabot asked.

Tesla leered the Emolga until it started trembling. It turned around and hid behind Cabot's legs, trying to get out of his line of sight.

_"Overconfidence will get you beaten, Emolga," _Tesla said in Pokémon speech, _"Keep that in mind the next time you battle."_

"What just happened?" Kayla asked.

"Emolga got a look at my aura," Tesla explained, "he didn't like what he saw."

Cabot picked up his Emolga and pulled out its Poké ball, "Emolga, return."

A red beam shot at Emolga and sucked it back into the Poké ball, Cabot shrunk and pocketed it, "I'm going to go get something to drink, I'll be right back."

As Cabot walked off, Volta turned to him, _"Why did you leer Emolga? You scared him, Tesla!"_

_ "He was overconfident, Volta," _Tesla answered in Pokémon speech, _"That kind of attitude will get him defeated."_

Then he asked in human speech, "Our turn will be at the forth match, will you be ready?"

_"Yeah!" _Volta chirpped.

"Follow my directions. When I tell you to jump, you jump. When I tell you to attack, you attack. When I tell you wing it, you wing it."

Tesla winked at her, Volta nodded, _"And when I mean wing it," _he continued in Pokémon speech, _"Use your wild cards. But please, don't piss on the battlefield."_

_ "I won't pee myself, Tesla." _said Volta.

"Do you always switch between languages?" Kayla asked.

Tesla shrugged, "All the time, it isn't that difficult."

"Yet your Pikachu voice sounds vastly different from your human voice, and your human voice sounds a little hoarse."

"Remember that I'm old, Kayla, it sounded a lot better back in my heyday."

A lot better, yes. But in those days, it sounded angry, cause he was always angry. Kayla seem to understood that in his eyes.

"You think we would both battle?" Kayla asked, changing the subject.

"The chance of us battling is one out of eight," said Tesla, "Now with four contestants out, it's now one out of four. I don't like making guesses with these odds."

"Do you know math?" she asked.

Tesla chuckled, "Yes, I know a lot of math. My trainer tutored me on the subject, practically taught me how to do his taxes too."

Volta tugged on his side, _"Tesla," _she said, _"I'm thirsty."_

"Okay, Volta," he said, he then turned back to Kayla, "Can you excuse us for a second, Volta needs to get something to drink."

"Sure." said Kayla.

Tesla and Volta walked down the hall and approached the restrooms. There was a water fountain between the doors, it was bright chrome and recently cleaned. The sides were styled with a sky texture pop-marked with clouds. A picture of a bottled water that was labeled H20 adorned the front. Tesla hoisted Volta up and she pressed the button, a stream of water arched over the fountain and she caught it with her mouth. She sipped for 30 seconds before depressing the button, _"I need to pee." _she said.

Tesla looked up at the signs over the restroom doors, none of them were labeled for family, _Screw it, nobody could tell Volta's gender anyway._

He took Volta to the men's restroom and stepped into one of the stalls, Tesla held her over the toilet, he looked away as Volta done her business, _"Okay," _she smiled, _"I'm done."_

Tesla took her to the sink and she washed her hands, he stood on his tips of his toes to be sure she reached the sink. She then turned off the water, _"Tesla?" _she asked.

"Yes, Volta?" he asked.

_"What are you going to do with me after I evolve?"_

Tesla thought for a moment, "Had we discussed it?"

_"You talked about it to Ash, but you never talked about it to me."_

The old Pikachu carried Volta up to the paper towels, she grabbed a couple of sheets and dried her hands before dumping them in the trash bin. Tesla sat Volta down, she turned to him, _"What are you going to do with me after I evolve?" _she asked.

"I'm going to let you go," said Tesla, "You'll be strong enough to survive on your own."

Volta's eyes widened, _"B-But I don't wanna leave you!"_

"You're not going to, at least for a while," Tesla sat his hand on Volta's shoulder, "Hey, look girl. I love you like you were my own daughter, but I can't keep you forever. Yes, you can still follow me around, but you'll be pulling your own weight. When you evolve, I'm not going to help you with simple tasks or even feed you. There are some things in this world you must do on your own, but you shouldn't have to worry about it until then."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon lowered her head, then looked away, "What's wrong, Volta?" Tesla asked.

Volta stared sorrowfully off into space for a full minute, then turned back to Tesla, _"We're family, and family should stick together. We could get Bruiser and Ray, and the elder Pikachu and my dad. We could form our own pack!"_

"Volta," said Tesla, "As brilliant as that idea sounds, I don't think they would wanna leave home."

_"__They look up to you, they would do as you say. A man chooses, a Pokémon obeys. They would do as you ask them without question," _she placed her hand over her chest, _"I chose to follow you because I love you, and they would do the same."_

Tesla held up his hand, "Stop right there," he said, "You've just contradicted that statement."

_"What?"_

"You said a man chooses, a Pokémon obeys. I had ask you back at Dixie if you want to follow me, you said yes. I didn't say you have to."

Tesla could see the question marks floating around her head, the old Pikachu could help but laugh, "I get your point, Volta. Sure, they would follow me. But I'm not going to force them to. I'm not sure if my elder son is fit to travel."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon gave Tesla a hug, he winced as his stitches sting, _"Please consider this," _said Volta, _"You need me more than I need you, I can see that in your eyes."_

Tesla nodded, "I'll keep this in mind, just don't worry about it yet, Volta. I'm not going to let you go just yet. Right now, we're going to put up a show for the audience to see."

Volta nodded, _"Well, what are we waiting for!? Let's go!"_

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon grabbed Tesla by the hand and pulled him out the restroom door.

**. . .**

"Right here folks, we have a resident from Faraday City. Here's a hand to Lily and her Blitzle!"

Lily and Blitzle stepped up to one side of the arena for match three. The crowd blew some whistles as they clapped away.

"And the other lass from Sinnoh, who majored in massage therapy in the University of Sinnoh and later moved to our very own Vegas City, let's applause for Kayla and her Pachirisu!"

Tesla watched as Kalya and her Pachirisu stepped up on the other side of the field, both trainers eyed each other as their Pokémon got into position. The old Pikachu chuckled, it seems that there's a cute Pokémon and an ugly Pokémon in every tournament. One Pokémon adores one part of the crowd, while the other mortifies the rest. Oh damn, those battles never end well for either Pokemon. He turned to the other contestants and asked, "Who wants to take bets on which Pokémon wins?"

Sal raised his hand, "I do, how much do you want to bet?"

"50 Pokédollars."

"I'll put in a 50 as well," said Mac, "I'm betting on the Blitzle."

Angie rolled her eyes and looked away, Cabot stared at Tesla for a moment, then shrugged, "Okay, I got a 50 on the Blitzle."

"That would be a 150, combined," Tesla turned to Volta, "Who you're betting?"

_"The Pachirisu," _she said, _"But I don't have any money to bet."_

_ "Just leave that to me." _said Tesla.

"There's an ATM out in the lobby," said Tesla, "If I lost, I'll withdraw some cash from there. _If _I lose that is."

"You have a bank account?" Cabot asked.

"It was once my trainer's account, it got transferred to me after he passed away."

"What bank is it?"

"InterRegions Bank," said Tesla, "Their banks pop-marked every region in the world, I think there's one in every city too."

Everyone turned back towards the arena, the third match was just getting started, "Oh boy," said Tesla, "Here they go."

**. . .**

Before the conclusion of the battle, Tesla went out into the lobby and access the InterRegions Bank's ATM. He withdrawn 150 Pokédollars from his account, three 50 Pokédollar bills popped out of the machine. Tesla grabbed them and head back to the arena. Loud booms of Discharge, Thundershock, Quick Attack, and heavy grunts and screams echoed across the halls. The Pachirisu and the Blitzle had exchanged heavy blows for the past 20 minutes already. Interestingly enough the air started reeking with ozone. Tesla covered his nose. Ozone isn't very good for one's health, especially if one has a respiratory illness.

_Well at least this place is well ventilated, _Tesla thought.

When Tesla returned to the gate, he was just in time to see Blitzle go down in a cloud of dust, "What happened?" he asked Cabot.

"Pachirisu gave Blitzle the knockout punch."

Sure enough, when the dust cleared, Blitzles eyes were swirling.

"Blitzle is unable to battle," announced Stucky, "This match goes to Kayla and her Pachirisu!"

"Yeah!" Kayla cheered.

Groans were murmured as wallets clicked open, Tesla grinned as he became 150 Pokédollars richer.

**. . .**

_"__That Pachirisu's cute too," _said Smugleaf as she watched Kayla recalled the EleSquirrel Pokémon, the trainer then turned back towards her end of the gate vanished inside. The Grass Snake Pokémon turned to Wotter, _"Maybe the Pachirisu's female."_

Wotter said nothing.

_"What, you don't wanna go out on a date with it?"_

_ "I'm not getting near a squirrel with a 5 meter pole." _grumbled Wotter.

_"Oh, Mr. Discipline Pokémon's all grouchy again. Why are you so grouchy, Wotter? How come you aren't having a good time?"_

The Dewott glared at her.

_"Come on, what is it?"_

_ "It brings back bad memories." _Wotter tersely replied.

_"Bad memories?"_

Wotter nodded, but said nothing. Smugleaf decided not to push him further and so turned her attention back towards the tournament, they hadn't said anything for the next few minutes.

**. . .**

"We've been saving this up for last folks," Stucky announced, "You've been waiting for this moment for an entire week, so I won't keep you!"

He lend out his hand towards Mac, "Our expert technician on automobiles and motorcycles, who could really disassemble appliances and put them back together again, here's Mac and his Joltik!"

The crowd cheered as Mac waved a hand towards the crowd, the Joltik jumped off his shoulder and stepped into the field.

Stucky lend out a hand to the other side, "And here folks, we've all know who this may be. With over 70 years of Pokémon battling experience and 40 years of wilderness survival, this fella lived a long and fruitful life. Let's give a hand to-"

The crowd screamed, cutting Stucky off as Tesla and Volta stepped onto the arena floor. He held the same old facial expression he used every time he stepped out into the arena. Volta's eyes lit up, her brain going into sensory overload as a thousand people cheered and clapped on. Tesla gave her a nudge on her back and she stepped forward, the old Pikachu managed a small smile and let out a wave.

"Tesla Westinghouse," Stucky managed to finish, his eyes too were wide, "I suppose this is going to be an interesting battle."

"Damn you for your suspense, Stucky," Tesla called out to him, "I told you no dramatic intros!"

Stucky simple shrugged at him, Tesla couldn't help but chuckle. The crowd's cheers died down enough for Stucky to continue, "Go when you're ready."

"Volta," whispered Tesla, "Do your best, girl. It shouldn't be that difficult in handling against that Joltik."

_"What does the Joltik do?" _she asked.

"Oh, it would try to latch onto your face and suck your brains out."

Volta shivered from the thought, Tesla chuckled again, "Don't worry, as long as you focus your attacks on his underbelly. It shouldn't be that hard."

**. . .**

Wotter picked the wax out of his ears trying, he swore he heard that name before.

_"What's wrong, Wotter," _Smugleaf asked, _"Something's got your brain?"_

_ "I swore I remember seeing him before." _he said.

_"Hmm, isn't Nobark's last name Westinghouse?"_

Wotter lit up, _"Why, it is!"_

Smugleaf chuckled, _"Oh what a coincidence," _she turned back to the arena, _"And look, another adorable critter. Now would you look at that, it's a Pichu! I think it's a girl!"_

_ "Why do you think it's a girl?" _Wotter asked.

Smugleaf pointed, _"She's wearing a pink scarf or a handkerchief or something, sometimes people put handkerchiefs around their Pokémon's necks if they're female. My trainer put a pink handkerchief on me once!"_

**. . .**

Dr. Ameren lit up, "A Pichu, what do you know it's a Pichu! Hadn't seen one like it since traveling to Kanto!"

Tesla shot a look at him, "What, you expect to see a Pichu and a Joltik slap each other like little kids for the next 30 minutes? I think we can arrange that."

That brought up a few giggles in the crowd.

Tesla shrugged, "Okay, let's get this show on the road. Volta, Quick Attack on Joltik! Go!"

Volta dropped on all four limbs and charged with breakneck speed, it caught Joltik by surprise, "Dodge it, Joltik!" Mac croaked.

Joltik wait till the last second to leap, Volta skid to a stop and spun around, "Iron Tail!" ordered Tesla.

Volta's tiny tail turned into white steel, she leaped up and swung it around at Joltik. The Attaching Pokémon froze, it took the Iron Tail to the chin and got tossed across the field. It landed on its back, exposing its tender belly."

"Quick Attack, again!" Tesla ordered.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon let out a battle cry as she charged at the Joltik, Mac bit his lip and cried, "Get up, Joltik, and counter with Fury Cutter!"

Joltik leaped up and raised up its front legs, the Attaching Pokémon struck Volta with powerful swipes, each one more stronger than the last. Not only Volta's attack was overpowered, she took heavy damage from the beating. She screamed as she got tossed aside like a rag doll.

"Get up, Volta," said Tesla sternly, then he spoke in Pokémon speech, _"That bug won't stop till you stop breathing!"_

_ "Ow!" _she yelped, Volta hopped back on her hind legs and balled her fist.

"She's so resilient for her first battle." Dr. Ameren commented.

Stucky nodded, "She may be cute, but she plays like a pro."

"Use Bug Buzz!" Mac ordered.

The Joltik burst out powerful sound waves, warping the air around it. Volta gripped her ears and stumbled back, Tesla cringed as she tripped onto her back.

_Remember when you broke your back, Tesla, _the voice in his head told him, _when you got hit by a fighting-type's Sucker Punch and your back cracked? You went down just like that, almost lost the match too. You better step up a level, Tesla, she's going to get hurt badly._

When the Bug Buzz died down, Volta got back to her feet. She gripped her ears, trying to shake the headache out of her head.

"You okay, Volta!?" Tesla asked.

_"It feels like my brain's leaking!" _she cried.

"Use Evil Plot."

Question marks fluttered around Volta, then a lightbulb appeared over her head. Her fearful expression changed into a sinister grin. The Joltik shivered under her crude version of Leer.

"Oh boy," said Stucky, "Here it comes!"

"Okay, use Iron Tail!"

Volta leaped up, her tail turning silver once more. She arched towards the Joltik, bringing her tail to full swing, "Dodge it, Joltik!" cried Mac.

The Joltik couldn't move, he was too deep in shock.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon struck him under the chin, once again flicking him over. The Attaching Pokémon spun twice before landing on its back, its tender belly displayed like a target.

"Grab Joltik and use Galvapunch!" Tesla commanded.

Volta leaped up on Joltik, its four eyes met hers. She grabbed it by the throat with one hand, then cocked other fist back. Bright yellow lightning burst when Volta punched him hard in the Solar Plexus. The Joltik's lungs burst with air, it let out a scream.

"Use Fury Cutter, Joltik!" Mac ordered.

"Stop him with Head-Butt!"

Volta leaned back and plowed her forehead into the Joltik's eyes. The Attaching Pokémon grunted, giving out an angry squeal. Volta jumped off the Joltik as it performed Fury Cutter, slicing nothing but air.

"Rear-end him with Iron Tail!" Tesla ordered.

Volta swung around and pulled her tailed back for a third blow.

"BUG BUZZ!" Mac blurted.

Another buzzing boom knocked Volta back, she screamed and gripped her ears. The Joltik stumbled back onto its feet, however it had trouble getting a focus on Volta.

"That head-butt blinded him!" Stucky exclaimed.

Volta got back to her feet, she could barely hold up her own weight, _"I'm feeling woozy, Tesla, what does that mean?"_

"It means we better wrap this up," said Tesla, "so finish it up with Quick Attack."

Volta nodded, she turned back towards Joltik and charged head on. The Joltik managed to get his eyes open, they bulged out of its head as Volta closed in.

She tackled it hard, plowing all the kinetic energy she could muster. The Joltik flied back and flopped onto the ground.

The Joltik's eyes spiraled, signaling it was out of commission. Mac pressed his hands on his ears, his face stricken with disbelief.

"Joltik is unable to battle," Stucky announced, "The match goes to Tesla and Volta Westinghouse!"

The crowd blew up, unleashing loud cheers and screams of joy. Volta leaped up to her feet and did a little victory dance, then ran back to Tesla, _"We won the first round," _she cheered, _"We won the first round!"_

"Don't get your hopes too high," Tesla warned, "The next round will be tougher. The other trainers had just seen what you could do and are coming up with strategies to work around them."

Volta just stared at him.

"But don't worry," he continued, "We also seen what they could do as well, so I say we're all pretty much even."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon managed a smile, _"What are you planning, Tesla?"_

"I'm planning for you to win this tournament. It's not about the price, Volta, remember that."

"That wraps up round one," said Stucky, "We'll be taking a short break and we'll get back to battle around noon."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __1__9_

Ash and his friends walked around the lobby in search for Tesla. The whole place was crowded with people and Pokémon. Food were being served in the convenience stalls and constant chatter charged up the atmosphere. Ash's Pikachu stood on his head, surveying the lobby for Tesla among the crowd.

"Look," said Iris, "There he is!"

Tesla sat on a bench munching on a calzone. Volta laid on his lap, she appeared to be napping after a hard moment of battle. When Ash and co approached, Tesla smiled, "And that's why I hate being out in public," he said, "But it's still good to be praised."

"I love you, Tesla!" a voice screamed.

Ash turned towards the voice, whoever it was had vanished in the crowd. Tesla chuckled and called out, "I know I'm adorable, but you don't need to adore me or anything," he turned back to Ash, "So this is what it feels like to be the trainer instead of the grunt, I guess Irvin's tutoring and Pokémon training paid off."

"How you're feeling, Tesla?" Ash asked.

"So far, so good. The calzones here taste really good, they stuffed it with some sort of gray cheese and sprinkled it with garlic."

"How's Volta?" Iris asked.

"Axew?" Axew added.

"She's tired from battling, she'd just ate and is now sleeping it off."

Tesla reached behind him and pulled out a roll of cash, he handed it to Ash, "Here's 300 Pokédollars, Ash. Go around and get refreshed. But whatever you do, don't drink any caffeine. You won't sit still if you're all hyper. Believe me, I know by experience."

Ash took the cash and pocketed it, "How did you get the money?"

"Gambling," said Tesla, "I took bets with the other contestants on who would win the last match, I won the bet."

"Are you skilled at poker?" Cilan asked.

Tesla frowned, "Yes, I'm skilled at poker. My trainer taught me how to play, I think that was during a time when we were at a casino . . . speaking of casinos, maybe I should visit a few and try my hand at black jack."

The old Pikachu hoisted up Volta and stroke her head, his smile coming back, "Isn't she precious, Ash? All that hard work and tears paid off, just two more rounds and it would be the greatest accomplishment in her entire life. Thank you, Ash, for helping her. I'll be sure you're well compensated for your efforts."

Ash waved a hand, "It isn't necessary, Tesla. I'm just glad to help you is all."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu chirped.

"Please, Ash. If you're going to be a Pokémon Master, you're going to need some cash to fund your dreams. Especially when you want to buy a house and go to college and all that. Believe me, you'll need insurance if you want to take your dream to the next level."

Volta changed sleeping positions, Tesla readjusted her and stroke her head, "Sometimes she smells funny," said Tesla, "You ever noticed that when you hold her."

"Sometimes," said Iris, "One day she smelled like cinnamon and the next chocolate."

"Ew ew." Axew nodded.

Tesla clutched the Tiny Mouse Pokémon as he stood up on the bench, "I'm heading back to the arena, you guys make yourselves comfortable before heading back."

Ash nodded, "Okay, Tesla, take care."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu chirped.

**. . .**

The smell of many different foods wafer through the air ducts and made their way to Wotter and Smugleaf. They were napping on their little hideaway when the smell hits their noses. The Grass Snake Pokémon's eyes flutter open, her mouth watered.

_Wow, _she thought, _All those wonderful smells. That food . . . it smelled so good._

Her hand slid over her belly as she licked her lips. Images of hot dogs, hot pockets, hamburgers, burritos, donuts, and ice cream flutter her mind. Smugleaf reached up and grabbed one of the floating hot dogs above her, only to explode into nothing upon contact. Her stomach growled, Smugleaf let out a groan, _How can I be so hungry, I'd just had some snacks!_

A stubby hand clamped over her chest, Wotter scooted up and grinned, _"Among all the things you crave, food had to be the top of the list."_

_ "Not really on top of the lis__t," _said Smugleaf, _"But it's high up there."_

Wotter drifted his hand across her belly and squeezed it, _"Strange," _he said, _"I thought you were scaly. But no, you're quite tender."_

_ "Flexibility counts." _said Smugleaf, then she raised an eyebrow.

_What are you up to, Wotter? _She thought as the Discipline Pokémon caressed her body, it didn't take much thought to realize what he was interested in, _Oh boy, here we go again._

Then again, she hadn't had much comfort herself. To come to think of it, she hadn't noticed how handsome Wotter looked. Those whiskers were so cute on his face, and that fur . . . that sky blue fur, so perfectly groomed. He could even see some muscles bulging out around his arms, they were slender and agile. Strong, flexible, great for precision.

Smugleaf told herself, no, _promised _herself that she would never _ever _fiddle with Wotter. No, never sleep with him. Never even get near that manhood of his. But he had mellowed after 15 years, and after what she'd just seen a few nights before, this Discipline Pokémon needed love.

_But what kind of love? _Smugleaf asked herself, _Fun love, or unconditional love?_

Smugleaf slithered out a vine and gently wrapped it around Wotter's neck, he yelped as she pulled him on the ground. The Grass Snake Pokémon leaped on top of him, their faces centimeters apart as they looked deep into each other's eyes, _"One day, Wotter," _said Smugleaf, _"One day you won't have a moment where you're angry, or mildly frustrated. __Maybe we would put all hard feelings aside and enjoy life while we still have it."_

Her fingers trailed over Wotter's whiskers, plucking them like they were guitar strings. The Discipline Pokémon's eyes were wide open, he panted as his heart raced, _"I miss home," _he said, _"I miss my old home too."_

_ "So do I," _said Smugleaf, _"We've lost a lot many years ago. I knew you were never yourself when I first laid eyes at that river. I couldn't tell if it was your natural fierce look, or your burdening pain."_

Smugleaf slid herself over Wotter's legs, she stroke his belly and giggled, _"Slow or fast?"_

Wotter couldn't help but grin, _"Fast, baby."_

**. . .**

The cooldown period went by fast, Volta was just waking up when the second round was beginning. Her eyes flutter open, she found herself nestled in Tesla's arms, _"Tesla, is nap-time over?"_

"Looks like it is," said Tesla, "Feeling well rested?"

_"Yeah!"_

Volta sat up and looked out over the arena. Tesla hold her close as Stucky fiddled with his microphone, "Round two has begun," he announced, "Are you ready for another round of electrifying excitement!?"

The crowd let out a roaring cheer, Tesla chuckled, _Electrifying. Smooth, Stucky. Smooth._

"Maybe I should get an electric-type for my daughter," said Dr. Ameren, "I could see why they're so popular."

"Amazing nobody got seizures yet." added Stucky.

Tesla snickered as he hugged Volta tightly, "Bad choice of words, flashing lights will fry the most sensitive brain sooner or later."

On the second round, Cabot and Sal stepped up first. Stucky did his usual announcement, it sounded dull and unoriginal in Tesla's ears. When Stunfisk and Emolga were called out, Tesla had seen enough. He could already tell who was going to win.

"What's wrong, Tesla?" Kayla asked.

"It hurts," he simply said, "It hurts me just to watch this."

Kayla got on her knees and rest her hand on Tesla's head, "Does it always feel this bad?"

The old Pikachu looked up at her, his eyelids flickering under heavy stress, "All those people are cheering them on. In every crowd in every Pokémon match. Are they entertained because they see scripted violence, or are they cheering to support whoever they're rooting for?" he clutched Volta in his arms, "You saw how they reacted when I stepped up?"

"They were ecstatic," said Kayla, "Obsessed, but you looked like you were pleased."

"I didn't wanna be rude, I couldn't help but returning their praise. But deep down, I felt humiliated. Like I said before, all they see is a Pikachu wearing goggles."

Kayla grabbed Tesla's chin, "Look at me," she said, "You inspired millions of people dreams of becoming gym leaders or Pokémon Masters, your performance helped-"

"That wasn't _me, _Kayla. That was my f*cking trainer! Those people were conditioned to praise me because they were praising Irvin while I sat on his f*cking shoulder like a f*cking bird! I was just doing what I was told!"

His voice boomed down the corridor, Angie and Mac came running around the corner and stopped when they saw Tesla and Kayla. A florescent lightbulb fizzled and died. Another flickered madly, clinging hard to life. Volta looked up at Tesla with stern eyes, he didn't need to be reminded again.

"I'm sorry," he told Kayla, "I'm sorry I raised my voice. I just don't wanna be here, I'm here because my great-great granddaughter wanted to battle. I want her to accomplish something, and I want her to grow strong."

Kayla pressed both hands on Tesla's cheeks, "That's alright, you've already explained yourself."

The flickering light corrected itself and beamed with glory, Tesla took a deep breath, "One moment I feel good, the other I feel sick. Oh, damn, I'm a mess."

"You swear like a sailor," said Mac, "You know that?"

Tesla shrugged, "Old habits, I guess. Irvin never really enforce innocence with his Pokemon."

"How's the stitches?" Kayla asked.

"Itches," said Tesla, "After round two, I'm going to get the bandages changed again. I brought an Audino with me for that reason."

"There's a first aid kit in the locker room," said Kayla, "We could change it right now."

"Do we have time?" Tesla asked.

"Sure we do. Besides, we're both going to battle each other next."

Tesla nodded, "Okay, let's get done then. It might save me a lot of trouble during battle."

**. . .**

The ongoing battle intensified. Chad's Emolga was taking a heavy beating, Sal's Stunfisk too. Hipp's eyes were locked open, her lungs filled to capacity. The flashing of electric-attacks made her nauseous, she took a sip of bottled water and kicked her legs. The Hearing Pokémon was finding it difficult to sit still.

She never saw Pokémon battles in action unless she was there to help the injured. A quarter of Hipp's training took place in Pokémon battles and tournaments. Hipp closed her eyes and remembered herself sitting with the other Audinos, watching Pokémon from all sizes try to get the upper edge. Those who lost went down hard, and they almost always need some kind of medical attention. Healing herbs usually do the trick, and maybe some ointment to help with the scrapes. Hipp had mended bones, stitched gashes, even comfort Pokémon who couldn't handle defeat. The Nurse Joy insisted on every Audino to play a role, not one was left out.

Now Hipp found herself in a Pokémon tournament, and it pains her to watch Pokémon get defeated without anyone there to heal them. The urge was strong, very strong. Hipp looked at her hands, they were moist and shaking. The Hearing Pokémon reached for the water bottle, only to find a few drops left. Hipp squealed under her breath, she had enough.

She turned to Pikachu, who sat comfortably in Ash's lap, his tail was sticking up from the brace. The Mouse Pokémon appeared uncomfortable, he struggled to watch the battle but his tail kept limiting his positions. Hipp panted, Tesla firmly instructed not to do anything medical. But Tesla wasn't here, he was down somewhere getting ready for the next match. Hipp stared at the braced tail, it sadly twitched as Pikachu continuously rubbed a sore spot at its base.

_Screw this, _Hipp thought, _I need this._

Hipp reached up and grabbed Pikachu's tail, bright orbs of green light sparkled around her fist. Ash jumped when Pikachu let out a painful cry, before he could pull Pikachu away the tail brace crumbled and fell to the floor. Pikachu held up his tail, swing it around, _"It's not hurting anymore," _Pikachu cried. He turned to Hipp, smiling, _"Thank you, Hipp!"_

"Wow," Ash cried, "That was Heal Pulse! Thank you for fixing Pikachu's tail, Hipp!"

The Hearing Pokémon felt relieved, she pressed her head against Ash and muttered, _"I gave it all I got, I'm glad that's off my chest."_

"Did it tire you out?" Ash asked.

Hipp nodded, _"Yes."_

Ash wrapped an arm around the Audino and held her up, "Here, I got you."

Hipp managed to nap for a few minutes until the Stucky's voice boomed across the arena.

**. . .**

"Stunfisk is unable to battle, this match goes to Cabot and his Emolga!"

Cabot threw a punch as the crowd cheered him on, his Emolga bounced on its feet embracing the moment. Tesla watched from the gate, clutching onto Volta's shoulder tightly, "You're ready for this?" he asked.

_"Ready!" _Volta chirped.

The new bandages felt snug over his stitches, the discomforting itching was gone once it got fresh air. Kayla was thorough in first-aid, she cleaned off the pus and dried blood that had built over the wound with soap and water before applying a fresh layer of gauze. After taping the gauze in place, Kayla kissed his forehead. A couple of hearts floated over Tesla's head, "I'll be over at the other gate," said Kayla, "I wish you and Volta good luck."

"You too." he simply replied.

Now that moment was near. When Cabot stepped through the gate, Tesla managed a smile, "I've seen a lot of Emolgas who were lazier than sh*t, but your Emolga is superhuman compared to them."

"Thank you." said Cabot.

"So where did you get your Emolga?" Tesla asked.

"I've traded in my Darmanitan for one," said Cabot, "I . . . I couldn't bear to have it around after our last meet."

Tesla showed no emotion, somehow he was expecting something like that. "Understandable," he then asked, "Did you say your goodbyes to it?"

Cabot shook his head, "No, I didn't. I just handed my Emolga's previous trainer and he gave it to me, it wasn't difficult."

"So you didn't say goodbye or even hug it?"

"Not a thing."

An overhead florescent bulb started flickering, Volta covered her mouth in shock.

"You selfish bastard, you traded your Darmanitan for a more cuter Pokémon because you nearly killed me?"

"Look, Tes," said Cabot, "It's not like-"

"Cabot, you would have killed me either way. I broke my rib and punctured my lung, nearly bled to death on the spot. So what? Had I lost, you would have condemned me to the electric-chair, where I would be electrocuted till I explode," Tesla shook his head, "Either way, I would never hold you accountable. You had a life to live, mine's all used up."

There was a moment of silence. Tesla turned towards Cabot's Emolga, it simply stood there. Its black pearl eyes glitter under the flickering florescent light as it stared at him, it looked like it was feeling sorry for him.

_"You're quite an athletic fellow, are you."_

That was no question, the Emolga simply blushed, _"Thank you." _It replied.

_"I hadn't met an Emolga who was willing to carry its own weight. You're the first Emolga I've seen who bothered using its own legs, rather than letting your trainer carrying you around."_

_ "My last trainer was a fitness nut," _said the Emolga, _"He instilled his habits into me."_

Tesla nodded, "I know that feeling well," he turned back to Cabot, "How long do you plan to keep your Emolga?"

"I don't know," said Cabot, "I've never thought of it much."

"My advice, Cabot: Keep your Pokémon till they pass away, even when they can't battle anymore. I was educated in a world where we keep our friends close till the end, it was the best environment to bring up Pokémon."

"For our next match," announced Stucky, "We have Kayla and her Pachirisu!"

Tesla turned towards the arena, he saw Kayla stepping into the field.

"You better get out there, Tesla." said Cabot.

"Right," he turned to Volta, "Come on, Volta. Let's wow the crowd again."

_"Okay, Tesla." _Volta chirped.

Tesla and Volta walked out the gate and into the arena, the old Pikachu could feel Cabot's eyes staring into his back.

"And for our special guest with more historical significance than any Pokémon we would ever know, let's give it up for Tesla Westinghouse. The Mouse Pokémon!"

The crowd unleashed another wave of screams, Tesla fought the urge to cover his ears. He shot a look at Stucky, steaming, _F*ck you, you old f*ck. _

Volta frantically waved her hand at the crowd, bathing in total prestige. Tesla shook his head, some day Volta would realize prestige can be quite a nuisance. Oh well, might as well let her enjoy the popularity. She needs the motivation after all.

"Begin!" Stucky blurted, sounding like an emperor.

Kayla's Pachirisu stood ready, whatever affection Volta seemed to have for it was set aside. The EleSquirrel Pokémon put on a war face as its trainer gave it a command, "Pachirisu, use Quick Attack!"

_"On it!" _Pachirisu torted.

Its body glowed bright white as it charged. Whoa, this fella can move! Volta stood there, her fur shaking, "Use Quick Attack as well!" Tesla commanded.

Volta nodded, she got on all fours and charged. Her body glowed white as she sprinted across the field. The EleSquirrel Pokémon and the Tiny Mouse Pokémon made contact. Dust kicked up as their kinetic energy knocked each other back. Pachirisu and Volta tumbled, then quickly got back up. Neither showing no obvious signs of damage.

_Equal. _Tesla thought.

"Use Energy Ball!" Kayla commanded.

The Pachirisu leaped up in the air and stretched out its tail, Volta watched in horror as a bright sky blue ball formed at the tip of its tail. The EleSquirrel somersaulted multiple times before flinging the Energy Ball straight at her.

Tesla screamed, "Evasive maneuvers, go!"

Volta rolled to her right, the Energy Ball crashed into the ground where she stood.

"Now use Iron Tail!"

Volta's tail glowed steel as she charged at Pachirisu, she leaped up in the air ready to swing.

"Use Hyper Fang, Pachirisu!" Kayla commanded.

The EleSquirrel's fangs jetted out like tiny switchblades, glowing pure white. The Pachirisu leaped up towards Volta, it's jaws gaping open.

Volta flinched, her Iron Tail became unsteady.

Tesla felt sweat trail down his neck, _Think fast._

"Galvapunch his jaw shut!"

Volta's fist sparked with electricity. Pachirisu was just in arm's reach. Before the fangs could clamp around her, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon swung her charged fist straight up into the EleSquirrel's jaw. The jaw shut with a loud snap, the Pachirisu screamed through its teeth as its own Hyper Fang pierced the bottom of its mouth.

"Pachirisu!" cried Kayla.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt!" Stucky commented.

"I had an uppercut delivered to my jaw once," said Dr. Ameren, "Lost a couple of molars and the tip of my tongue. Believe me, that was no fun."

Pachirisu bounced off the ground, rolled once, then came to rest on its belly. Volta landed on her feet without harm.

"Pachirisu, are you okay!?" Kayla cried.

The Pachirisu gripped its mouth, _"It hurts," _it screamed through its fingers, _"Oh, Kayla, it hurts!"_

The EleSquirrel reached into its own mouth, then held out its hand for all to see. Sitting on its palm, were three broken teeth. Two molars, one incisors, along with several chippings from countless teeth. Blood oozed out the Pachirisu's mouth, trickling down from the bleeding cavities of where its teeth were rooted.

Everyone couldn't help but gasp.

Tesla was unmoved, he remembered the last time someone uppercut him. He lost a molar from that fist fight, he was lucky he didn't bit off his own tongue. He glanced at Volta, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon stared at the very hand she used to uppercut him. Guilt gripped her face like a robotic claw.

"Nasty Plot." Tesla casually replied.

There was a few seconds delay, but eventually question marks flutter over Volta's head. A lightbulb popped over her head, and her face twisted into a sinister grin.

The Pachirisu tossed its lost teeth aside, they clatter off to the edge of the field and stopped at the wall. The EleSquirrel's cheeks sparked with rage as it showed an angry grin, the battle was back on.

"Quick Attack, Pachirisu!" Kayla hissed.

Pachirisu charged towards Volta, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon panicked. Before Tesla could call out a command, the Pachirisu tackled Volta and knocked her to the ground. She threw up her hands in a feeble attempt to defend herself. The Pachirisu grabbed them, then pinned her to the ground.

"Use Nuzzle!" Kayla cried.

Pachirisu pressed its cheek against Volta's chest, stunning her with immense voltage. The Pichu screamed in agony as bright sky-blue light flashed everywhere. Tesla held his breath, he hadn't seen such a move like that in years.

The sky-blue electricity ceased, Pachirisu lets go of Volta and stepped back. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon sat up. She looked hurt, emotionally hurt. Her eyes were glazed with tears. Volta tried to get back on her feet, but she fell forward and collapsed on the ground. She buried her face in her arm, whimpering under her breath.

Tesla bit his lower lip, Volta looked like she was on the edge of defeat. The audience knew it too, he could see many grief-stricken faces among the crowd. Heck, even Stucky and Dr. Ameren were touched.

Kayla's eyes bulged out of her head and covered her mouth, "Oh no." she murmured.

The Pachirisu's expression changed from anger to pity. It's jaw dropped, its eyes becoming watery, _"Uh, uh, I'm sorry. Oh crap, I'm sorry!"_

"It won't be long now." Stucky muttered, though nobody seemed to be listening.

The Pachirisu rushed up to Volta, it took her by the hand and attempt to help her get back on her feet. It pulled up Volta's arm, revealing her face.

A sinister grin.

Volta lashed out on Pachirisu with such surprise, everyone in the crowd threw themselves against the backs of their seats. The Tiny Mouse Pokemon spun around behind the Pachirisu and wrapped an arm around its neck, she jammed the crook of her elbow over its wind pipe then clamped down with all her strength. Volta then wrapped her other arm around the Pachirisu's chest, making sure the Pachirisu was trapped in her death grip.

"She duped us," cried Stucky, "Holy moley, Volta's using Bind!"

Kayla's jaw dropped, she couldn't believe that Volta would play with everyone's heart for a surprise attack, "Discharge, Pachirisu!"

The EleSquirrel flashed sky-blue electricity, pumping Volta electricity. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon wasn't fazed, she tightened her grip and hold on. The Pachirisu thrashed its legs, struggling to breathe. Its face slowly turned bluish-purple. It tried using Discharge again, only for Volta to tighten her grip.

Tesla pressed a hand on his temple, terribly confused, _How is she using a fighting-type move? Who taught her that?_

The old Pikachu gasped, it must have been the Nasty Plot. Maybe that was the idea she hatched. And _boy _was it working, after a full minute of Bind the Pachirisu's face was shaded blue and was loosing strength.

_I've seen enough. _"Volta!"

Volta's snapped her head towards him, the familiar innocent Pichu expression blossomed in her eyes, "Let Pachirisu go," said Tesla, "The battle's over."

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon released her grip, and Pachirisu flopped forward. Big spirals swirl around its eyes as it gasped a lung-full of air.

"Pachirisu's unable to battle," Stucky announced, his voice sounding a bit hoarse, "This match goes to Tesla and his Pichu."

The crowd's loud cheers surged up like a slow-moving tide, but this time Volta didn't feel venerated. She dropped to her knees over the Pachirisu, her hands checking around its neck and chest. Was she checking to see if it still had any life.

Volta grabbed Pachirisu's cheeks, her body lit up bright yellow for a brief second. The Pachirisu's eyes flutter open. It sat up, it glanced around in confusion. Had it just forgotten what happened a few minutes ago?

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon gave Pachirisu a tight hug. The EleSquirrel Pokémon jumped, realizing Volta wasn't trying to strangle it the Pachirisu gladfully returned the hug. The whole audience awed, it looked great on the jumbo-tron.

"Looks like they just kissed and made up," said Dr. Ameren, "Let bygones be bygones."

"Okay folks," said Stucky, "That draws a close to round two, come back again around 5PM for the final round. I wonder what the conclusion will be."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	20. Chapter 20

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __20_

Hidden up on a ledge that overlooked the arena, Wotter and Smugleaf slept on as round two ended. Both hugged each other as they slept on the blanket, for some time they had been sleeping there for 30 minutes now. Had they been awake they would have caught Volta's vivid performance as she defeated Pachirisu.

Smugleaf's eyes flutter open. She felt stoned, like someone had shot morphine into her system. The Grass Snake Pokémon turned to Wotter, his face was tranquil, sleeping on without a care in the world. Smugleaf ran her fingers across the Dewott's thin fur. Her fingers hit the bumps and ridges outlining his muscles. She smiled, Mr. Discipline Pokémon was quite strong for his age. No wonder Nobark relied on him to keep the others in line. Smugleaf sighed, too bad the others would never get to see his more gentler side. If she could dig deeper, she might find Mr. Discipline Pokémon's true self.

She pressed her nose against his chest and breathed in. As always, Wotter's scent smelled salty and fresh, _The ocean, _Smugleaf thought, _He smelled just like the ocean._

Wotter's eyes flutter open, he stared at the ceiling for a few seconds as if he was fixated on something. His eyes then turned to Smugleaf, Wotter's soft gaze seem to harden, _"So what just happened?" _he asked.

_"Not much happened," _said Smugleaf, _"We've just had a little adventure is all."_

_ "I take back all the things I said about you being fat," _he said, _"Cause damn, girl, you simply know how to move!"_

Smugleaf reached up and flicked one of Wotter's whiskers, _"__You never did wanna evolve, do you."_

_ "Why do you say that?"_

_ "You had your mouth open and was giggling like an Oshawott before you passed out, Dewotts just don't do that by instinct."_

Wotter evolved, _"I don't wanna talk about it, that's a whole different dilemma entirely."_

_ "I won't press you, you talk to me when you're ready."_

_ "I said I don't want to talk about it, ever."_

The familiar grumpy tone was back, looks like Mr. Discipline Pokémon was back in asshole mode. Smugleaf sat up and stretched her legs, _"Whoa," _she said, _"My legs feel numb, you rode me hard."_

Wotter couldn't help but smile, _"You were the one on top."_

_ "I thought you were on top."_

_ "I was sitting here the whole time."_

_ "Oh, so I did all the work. How's that for a lazy f*ck."_

The Dewott snickered, _"You never lost your charm, Smugleaf."_

Smugleaf turned her attention back to the arena, the field was empty and half the seats were vacant. The remaining audience left were simply talking to each other, they didn't look like they were leaving any time soon, _"Looks like intermission," _said Smugleaf, _"I think we missed round two."_

_ "I think Cabot won this round," _said Wotter, _"He's definitely a gym leader of some sort, no wonder Nobark wanted him dead. Did you see anything that would have ticked Nobark off?"_

_ "His Emolga wa__s quite outstanding, very fit and lean."_

_ "Seen anything from the Emolga that hinted a secret of sort?"_

_ "Not really, no. I don't think we're going to learn much from this at all."_

Wotter sat up and leaned against the wall, _"Just one more round, then we kill Cabot the next day and get the f*ck out of Vegas City."_

_ "Then back home," _Smugleaf thought aloud, _"Back to handling idiots."_

Wotter chuckled, _"You could say that again."_

**. . .**

Volta held tight to Tesla's arm, she tugged him along towards the bathroom. Tesla didn't wanna go any faster, his hind legs were sore and he needed to sit down. But the Tiny Mouse Pokémon insisted, apparently this can't wait.

When they reached the bathroom, Volta let it all out.

_"What's happened to me," _she cried, _"What's happening to me!?"_

"Whoa whoa," said Tesla, "Calm down, Volta. Take it easy, just what's wrong?"

_"I hurted Pachirisu bad, I hurted him bad!"_

Tears were raining in big waterfalls, a puddle started forming on the floor at Volta's feet. She hugged Tesla and cried into his bandages, Tesla stroke her head, "Why you're so upset about it then?" he asked bluntly.

Volta looked up, her black eyes rippling, _"I think I killed it, I think I stopped its hard for a second. I . . . I don't know how I did it, but I did, Tesla. I did!" _She buried her face back into Tesla's belly, _"No wonder you never wanted me to battle, it was all bad! I should have listened to you, I should have."_

"Technically, you did," said Tesla, "I told you to uppercut Pachirisu, did I?"

_"Yes." _she muttered.

"And did I told you to let go of him."

_"Yes." _she said again.

"Now I haven't said I didn't want you to battle, I would never say that even if I meant it," then Tesla added, "But here's the thing, you said you wanted to be like me, right?"

_"I did, Tesla."_

"Well, how does it feel?"

Volta's eyes shot wide open, she stumbled back, nearly losing her balance. Tesla caught her in time and held her up, _"Oh this was a big mistake!" _she added.

"Not really, Volta," said Tesla, "You also said you wanted to grow stronger, you did. Right now, you just need to control your strength."

_"Is strength everything, Tesla?"_

Tesla shook his head, "A lot of trainers would say that its best to train their Pokémon to grow stronger, but deep down – in a subconscious level – they only make their Pokémon get stronger for their own selfish deeds. I always believed that its best for the Pokémon to grow _smarter_, that way they don't have to battle for the rest of their lives."

Volta just shook her head, _"How come you haven't told me this before?"_

"Cause it's a controversial idea," said Tesla, "It goes against how the world works, how society operates. If trainers train their Pokémon to grow smarter, they would then try to venture out to do other things rather than battle. Believe me, there will be a time when Pokémon don't wanna battle anymore if they realize they don't have to battle for the rest of their days."

Volta lowered her head, the bathroom went silent.

"You okay, Volta?" he asked.

_"Tired," _she managed to say, _"I'm just so tired that I..."_

Tesla picked her up and hugged her, _"Don't worry, Volta," _he said, _"First we'll get something to eat, then you can sleep till 5. Just this one more battle and were done, finished. You won't have to battle ever again. By the way, do you still have a wild card to play?"_

_ "Just one," _said Volta, _"But I'm not sure if I want to use it, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it."_

"No ones really ready for anything, it always comes in a shock regardless. The only question is, can you adjust?"

Volta looked into Tesla's eyes, the two held each others gaze for a moment, _"I can," _said the Tiny Mouse Pokemon, then she asked, _"But can you?"_

**. . .**

Ash and his friends went around looking for Tesla, he wasn't anywhere near the food stalls or the bathrooms. Ash was getting worried, truly that move Volta pulled had some sort of impact on him. He was just about to double-back and start over when Tesla walked into the lobby, Volta laid snugly on his head sleeping the hours away.

"Tesla!" Ash called out.

Tesla turned to Ash, managing a soft smile, "I swear I hadn't seen that coming, I couldn't believe I fell for it again."

"Is Volta alright?" Ash asked, "She looked kinda hurt after seeing what she'd done."

"I'd just went over that with her, she's fine now. Just one more match and that should be it."

Tesla then raised an eyebrow, "Say, where's your Pikachu's tail brace?"

"Hipp used Heal Pulse and fixed it," said Ash, "It was the most powerful she had ever mustered."

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu chirped.

"That explains why she isn't here."

Ash looked around, sure enough the Audino was nowhere in sight, "She was here a minute ago." said Cilan.

Hipp came stumbling out of the nearby restroom, looking relieved. When she saw Tesla, her eyes shot open with anxiety. Tesla waved his hand to come over. She stepped up, holding her head low in shame as she approached, "Audino Aud," she muttered, "Aud Aud Audino!"

"Pika Pika," said Tesla, he then picked Volta up from his head and handed her to Hipp, "Pika Pikachu, Chu Chu Chu."

Hipp held Volta in her arms, the Pichu snoozed peacefully without a worry in the world. The Audino smiled, then held her to her chest, "Aud," she nodded, "Aud Aud."

Tesla then turned to Ash, "I gotta go take care of something, can you watch Volta in the meantime."

"Sure," said Ash, "Will you be long?"

"It would only just be a second, less than an hour at most."

Ash nodded, "Alright, Tesla."

"Pikachu." Pikachu blurted.

As Tesla left the lobby, Ash turned to Hipp, "I guess you're-"

Bright flashes of bright green orbs fluttered Hipp and Volta, the Pichu's eyes flutter open and looked up, "Pichu Pi?" she asked.

"Aud Aud." said Audino.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon snuggled into Hipp's chest, then started rubbing her face into her fur. Hipp giggled as she cradled Volta, she stroke the Pichu's head and kissed her on the forehead. Ash raised an eyebrow, the kiss seemed a little too unusual. It wasn't a simple peck, Hipp held it on for a few seconds before releasing.

"There's something unusual about Hipp," Iris whispered, "She kinda acts weird on occasion?"

"Besides the anxiety?" Ash whispered back.

"You noticed too?"

"Just now."

Ash simply shoved the thought into the back of his mind, no need to worry about it now. It could be nothing after all, "Hey, Hipp," said Ash, "Why don't we get something for Volta to eat?"

"Audino!" Hipp chirped.

**. . .**

Tesla made his way to the contestants locker room. Unlike the lobby and foot court, the back hallways for the contestants were vacant and dead. Nothing stirring but the hum of the air conditioner. A list of things flowed through Tesla's mind, Volta was on top of the list. The old Pikachu had a feeling something was about to happen. Something big. Whatever it was, it was going to change the way he would ever see Volta.

The old Pikachu stopped for a moment and closed his eyes, remembering the morning when Volta hatched from her Pichu egg. She was so innocent, so happy, and consequentially, had bonded with him at first sight. The Pichu was a blessing to him, he never had the opportunity to be a father. He was gifted with a pure-loving Mouse Pokémon who was the latest generation of his own bloodline. He thought most of his problems were over, but he was wrong.

Things turned out badly for Volta. She slowly became corrupt as she absorb the grief and pain he radiates daily. He drank in front of her, got drunk, then lost all common sense. Tesla also swore foul language around her, often in bitter resentment. Damn, he even beat up some Pokémon degenerates in front of her.

It all came to a head when Tesla promised her he wouldn't drink, but nearly broke it days later. She caught him red-handed with a brandy bottle, he was in a lost of words as Volta melted down.

_"You broke my tiny trust."_

Then just when the Faraday Power Tournament was getting started, Volta blew up again. But it wasn't sadness this time, it was rage. She stated that he was angry almost all the time, and it hurts her. Volta even went as far by claiming he failed to be her guardian.

_"You failed, Tesla! You failed!"_

Tesla took a deep breath, then sighed, "What have I done to her?" he asked himself.

The old Pikachu stepped into the locker room, he found Cabot brushing his teeth over the sink. Tesla nonchalantly stepped in, "Cabot," he said, "I need to talk to you about something."

Cabot spat out the toothpaste, "What is it, Tesla?"

Tesla sat down on a nearby bench and folded his hands, "I've done a lot of things that I am not proud of, both good and bad. But I think this tops it all."

"What?"

"I think I made a terrible mistake."

Cabot sat his toothbrush down on the sink, then sat next to Tesla, "What happened?"

Tesla looked up at Cabot, "I found Volta when she was an egg, nestled in the arms of her dead mother. The father had an emotional breakdown and things were . . . complicated. When she hatched, Volta bonded with me with all her heart. The father just couldn't raise her, and since she had took a liking towards me he gave her up without argument. Now I had a hundred or so children, but I never had the opportunity to raise one," Tesla shook his head, "I've f*cked up. I f*cked up big time. I corrupted her, betrayed her trust, and eventually she got to a point where she had enough. You should have hear her rage, it was far from the Pichu she was when we first met."

Cabot sat a hand on Tesla, "While I was at Faraday Island during your little fiasco, I lost a close Pokemon."

"Your Axew," said Tesla, "Yeah, I heard. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, Axew," Cabot took off his glasses and folded up its arms, "I blamed myself for getting it killed, I got a little carried away. Quadruple Pokémon battles, who's idea was that!? I came to terms with it when I last battled you. I saw the look in your eyes, and I realize we both shared the same pain but in different angles."

Then Cabot added, "You had that look again when you were out in that arena, you clearly didn't wanna be there."

"Volta picked up on that," said Tesla, "But she soon changed her mind when she realize what she did to the Pachirisu, how she nearly strangled it to death."

"Kayla left without a word by the way," said Cabot, "She looked quite upset."

Tesla let out a humorless chuckle, "No wonder I hadn't seen her after the match," the old Pikachu looked up at the ceiling and said, "Volta now understood how I feel about Pokémon battling, just by that single act. She told me she wanted to bail out now, I told her just battle one last time and she won't have to battle ever again. Volta has one last wild card up her sleeve, she had doubts of using it."

Cabot nodded, "First it was Galvapunch, then it was her version of Bind. What would be the final card?"

"She said I won't look at her the same way again once she used it," Tesla pressed his hands against his temples, "I'm still reeling from that arm-lock she pulled, I dread what her final stunt will be."

"Volta's hiding something," said Cabot, "It sounds like she's ashamed of it."

"I think it was something I said to her," said Tesla, "It has to be, she already cracked on my drinking and anger but she views this as the ultimate predicament."

"What are you saying, exactly?"

Tesla turned to Cabot, "Whatever I said, she mistook it as something else. I need to find out what."

Cabot looked at his watch, "Whatever it is, you'll might wound up learning it the hard way. Within two hours, we'll both go straight to battle."

Tesla looked up at Cabot, "I got something to ask, and I don't know how to put it so bear with me."

"Go ahead and asked, Tesla."

"Once Volta evolves, would you take her under your care?"

Cabot's eyes bulge, "Take her in?"

"Yes, take her in, because I can't take care of her forever. She obviously likes you, you don't have to train her to battle, all you have to do is give her a bed and a roof over her head. Where she's from, it's anything but."

Cabot ran a hand through his hair, "Well, I don't know, Tesla. It's just-"

"Please, Cabot," said Tesla, "I got an official pardon and you lost a Pokémon from that island adventure, does that sound fair to you?"

"I was in trouble, I got out a lot more than-"

A nearby light bulb popped, dimming the room a little.

"Cabot Richardson," said Tesla sternly, "Please, I implore you. I don't want to cast Volta out into the relentless world with nothing but the fur on her back, and she has no future in the wild. Please, take her in. Give her hope, a dream. Get her to take up a cause to work for. I can't do all that for her, Cabot, I'm going to let her down if I try."

Tears formed in Tesla's eyes, Cabot put his glasses on and blinked, "Will she like that, Tesla?" Cabot asked.

"It would be a lot better than what she has back at her homeland," said Tesla, "You're still young, young enough to bring out potential. I'm old and used up, I'm nothing but a shell of my former self."

"No you're not, Tesla," said Cabot, "You're still the Master of Electricity. The way you took that voltage from the Tesla coil yesterday, no one else can do without electrocuting themselves. You should be proud of your special abilities, do you even know you're blowing out light bulbs around this place?"

Tesla raised an eyebrow, "I'm doing that?"

"It seems to be your emotions that's messing with the florescent lights."

The old Pikachu turned to the popped light bulb, he stared at it intensely for a few seconds. The bulb soon flickered back to life, showing no signs of wear and tear.

"I'll be damned," said Tesla, "I didn't know I could do that!"

"You did it back at the Red Rock Hotel too, remember?"

Tesla stared at his hands, he squeezed them into fists and looked up at Cabot, "I've gotten stronger . . . somehow."

**. . .**

Volta eventually woke from her nap and got something to eat, a caramel-coated apple on a stick had never tasted so good. Her face was covered with caramel syrup once she ate the apple to the core, Volta handed the leftovers to Ash to toss in the trash can while Hipp cleaned the caramel off her face with a wash rag. The Audino was peaceful, cheery, her eyes were glazed with happiness and affection. It a far cry from Tesla, who was always troubled and had the look of misery.

Nonetheless, for some reason Volta couldn't open up to her completely. Yes, she liked her. Hipp was like the big sister she never had. However she wasn't family, she didn't smell like family or even talk like family. Though she did act somewhat like Ray, but only somewhat. Volta shoved the thought in the back of her mind as Hipp wiped her mouth, she didn't want those thoughts get picked up by the Hearing Pokémon's sensitive radar.

_"There," _Hipp said, _"All done. My, you look so clean!"_

The Audino held Volta up and pressed her nose against her belly, _"You smell like bubblegum, I like bubblegum!"_

Volta smiled, _"It__'__s some sort of bubblebath at the local store."_

Hipp adjusted on the bench and stretched her legs, her eyes drooped as she sat Volta down, _"You look tired, Hipp." _said Volta.

_"I was worried about you," _said Hipp, _"My, you sure are strong. I didn't know you had some muscle in you."_

_ "__Neither did I, Tesla said I could prevail."_

Hipp giggled, _"Prevail. Wow, you are that smart. Tesla raised you right, despite his problems."_

Volta's smile dropped, _"Can we not talk about his problems, please? I don't like talking behind his back."_

Hipp took one of her monkey tail earlobes and pressed it against Volta's cheek, her eyes lit up, _"Wow," _she said, _"Your more stronger than you look! There's a lot of energy in you!"_

_ "Is it stable?" _

_ "Hmm, feels stable. I'm sure you won't pass out after using a powerful Thundershock, or some other electric-type move you might know. But Galvapunch, that's a move I never heard of before!"_

_ "Tesla invented it," _said Volta, _"It gives off quite a kick if I hit you in the belly."_

_ "More like a knockout punch, if you hit that Pachirisu harder the match would end right there. Is the EleSquirrel okay?"_

_ "The Pachirisu's fine, Hipp. We kissed and make up."_

Hipp smiled, _"Everyone awed when they saw you hug it, I think you won the crowd to your favor."_

Volta looked out down the food court and saw Ash at one of the concession stands, he was talking to Cilan and Iris while they wait for their order to be prepared. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon centered his eyes on Pikachu, who sat beautifully on Ash's shoulder. He crouched down on his belly, seemingly interested in whatever conversation was going on. Volta felt her heart flutter, boy does he look handsome!

_"Love bird!" _Hipp sang.

Volta shot a look at Hipp, her face blushing red, _"__Hipp!"_

Hipp laughed and stroke her head, _"I'm just teasing!"_

Volta head-butted Hipp in her stomach, she omphed as her back bumped against the wall. The Hearing Pokémon could barely hold in her giggles, _"What, too much for you?"_

"Volta," Tesla's voice called out to her, "It's almost time."

Volta spun around and saw the old Pikachu strolling up. His back was straight and his legs were moving in a smooth pattern. The Pichu hadn't noticed that before, how long was Tesla walking like that? It looked more human than Pokémon.

_"Okay, Tesla!" _she said.

The Tiny Mouse Pokémon gave Hipp a final hug, _"I'll see you after the tournament," _she said, _"Cheer me on, Hipp."_

_ "I don't need to cheer you on," _said Hipp, _"I know you're gonna win, that energy inside you is just waiting to come out."_

Oddly enough, a chill ran down Volta's spine. She pulled away from Hipp before it trips her radar and leaped into Tesla's arms, the old Pikachu laughed and carried her back to the arena where the final match awaits her.

**. . .**

_ "__It's starting again, Wotter." _said Smugleaf.

Wotter got up and yawned, _"Just one more match, right?"_

_ "Then we leave," _said Smugleaf, _"And the next day, we strike."_

The Discipline Pokémon popped several joints and flexed his muscles, he crossed his legs and looked over the arena, _"The crowd looks a little riled up, had to be this Tesla Westinghouse character," _the Grass Snake Pokémon then turned to Wotter and asked, _"You sure you know him?"_

_ "I'm trying to remember," _said Wotter, _"I swear, I've met him before. I don't know why I can't remember."_

_ "Don't worry about it, Wotter. It will come soon enough, just stop thinking for the moment and watch the match."_

_ Okay, Mom. _Wotter thought, but didn't say.

**. . .**

Tesla and Volta Westinghouse walked side by side as they headed towards the gate. Both Mouse Pokémon were silent, as if they were being escorted to a soundproof room to be interrogated. The old Pikachu could hear Volta breathing unsteadily, she was strong and healthy enough to take a serious beating but something was holding her back. Tesla had an idea what it was, but wasn't sure how to put it, _It must be something I had said, _he thought, _Something that I made her worry._

The old Pikachu's eyes widened, he realized what it was.

When they reached the gate, Tesla and Volta peaked out. The crowd was active, riled up for action. The old Pikachu could see a lot of yellow shirts spring up in the crowd, someone even had a "GO WESTINGHOUSE!" sign up. Tesla wondered if they were supporting him, or his great-great granddaughter, _Had to be me, _he thought, _Without my prestige, Volta would be treated like a normal Pichu._

Normal, speaking of which, was she even a _normal _Pokémon?

Tesla turned to Volta, "You're ready, Volta?"

Volta said nothing, she just stared at the floor looking depressed. Whatever enthusiasm she had was lost, in some way she mirrored Tesla's own depressive behavior.

_You failed, Tesla! You failed!_

Tesla shook the thought out of his head and sat a hand on her shoulder, "Volta," he said, "If you're afraid of evolving, don't be. I will not cast out into the world alone. If you evolve, you can stick with me for as long as you like. I will snuggle you and love you as before. Nothing will change. I'm not sure if you still trust me, and after what happened the other night, I honestly believe you don't. But here this: I promised you that I would get you this far, and either if you win or lose it doesn't matter. You chose this opportunity and I let you have it, this is one promise I have fulfilled."

Volta looked up at Tesla with glazed eyes, _"I'm sorry I said all those nasty things, about you, or past."_

"Volta," said Tesla, "It's alright. I've been b*tched and yelled at a lot throughout my life, it's all part of being a Mouse Pokemon."

Both Mouse Pokémon giggled at the thought.

"And here is the final round you've been waiting for," Stucky announced, "Here we have the top contestants, a gym leader and the Master of Electricity. Believe it or not, it has been a while since they last battle."

Tesla grabbed his ears and whined, "Why do people always have to go that far!?"

_"__Don't be angry, Tesla." _Volta reminded him.

The old Pikachu let go of his ears, "I'm not angry," he said, "I'm just annoyed."

_"That's what she said."_

"Where did you hear that?" he stared at Volta for a moment, then shook his head, "Nevermind, I don't wanna know."

Tesla and Volta stepped out into the arena, the crowd's cheering started rising. Cabot Richardson approached from the other side of the field, his Emolga out and ready. Both Cabot and Tesla eyed each other for a moment, then nodded. There was no need to say any last-minute words before battle.

Volta and Emolga got into position, both electric-types got on all fours and glared at each other. Not exactly a rival glare, it was just for show.

_"You want me to Leer the Emolga?" _Tesla asked Volta in Pokémon speech.

_"I'm leering him already." _she said.

_"The Emolga's a male?"_

_ "Smells like it?"_

"Well now," Tesla said in human speech, "This is going to complicate things."

_If that Emolga uses Attract, _he thought, _Volta's totally f*cked . . . __Unless, that can be bypassed._

"Cabot Richardson versus the Westinghouse Mouse Pokémon," Stucky added, "Let's see if Tesla's reputation of winning Pokémon battles still holds up."

Tesla turned to Stucky and called out, "Jack Stucky, I'm done with that life. I don't think my reputation has any merit here. But just for old time's sake."

The old Pikachu swung a Galvapunch into the palm of his hand, the crowd went ecstatic. Tesla smiled, sometimes it feels good to stir up the crowd.

"When you're ready." said Stucky.

Tesla gazed at the Emolga for a few seconds. The Sky Squirrel showed no signs of doubt, after two successful wins it seemed confident it was going to win this one.

_He might use Attract._

Cabot and Tesla held their breaths for a moment, the entire arena descended into silence. Everyone leaned from their seats, waiting to see was going to move first, "It's like we're watching a duel." Stucky whispered into the mike.

The building suspense broke under Cabot's command, "Emolga, use Discharge!"

"Thundershock, Volta!" Tesla commanded.

Both the Pichu and the Emolga flashed yellow, archs of electricity shot into the air and meet at the center of the field. For a brief 5 seconds, they tried to overpower the other. The electricity popped and died, they were equal.

"Quick Attack!" Tesla commanded.

Volta charged down the field, homing in on Emolga.

"Dodge and use Hidden Power!" Cabot ordered.

Emolga leaped up into the air, Volta missed him by a few centimeters. As she spun around, three glowing orbs of light formed at Emolga's chest. The Sky Squirrel unleashed the concentrated energy like a shotgun blast, Volta yelped as the Hidden Power struck her knocking her back across the field.

"First blood." Stucky muttered.

"Volta," Tesla called out, "You okay?"

Volta leaped back to her feet, _"I'm fine."_

Emolga hovered overhead, circling like he was about to swoop down and snatch up pray. The Sky Squirrel stuck his tongue at him, _He's daring me to knock him out of the sky, _Tesla thought, _Perfect._

The Emolga was no more than four meters off the ground, no way Volta's fighting-type moves will reach him.

_Unless Volta can jump that high. _"Volta, leap up and knock Emolga out of the sky with Iron Tail!"

Amazingly enough Volta leaped into the air, swinging her tail as it transformed into a steel bat. Emolga shifted to his right, again Volta missed. But she came over and Emolga and landed on top of him. Both Pokémon crashed to the ground, Emolga taking most of the blow. Volta pinned him down as hard as possible, ready for another move.

"Galvapunch his shoulder-blade!" Tesla ordered.

Volta's fist sparkled with electricity, she cocked the elbow back and spring her fist into Emolga's shoulder. The Sky Squirrel let out a scream.

"Tail Whip!" Cabot cried.

Emolga spun around and whipped his tail underneath Volta's chin, she stumbled back and held her face. The Sky Squirrel then stood up and tried to raise its arm, a stab of pain forced it back down.

"Oh look at that," said Tesla, "Emolga flied too close to the sun and got his wings burnt! Like all flying-types they crash and eat the dirt!"

Volta let out a laugh.

Cabot growled, "Emolga, use Attract!"

_Oh boy, here we go. _"Dodge it, Volta!"

Emolga twirled, hearts flutter over his head as he blow-kissed a pellet-storm of hearts. Volta dodged the in-coming hearts as she made her way towards Emolga, she got mid-way to Emolga till one heart managed to ping her.

_"F*ck!" _Tesla swore in Pokémon speech.

Big pink hearts develop over Volta's eyes, her jaw dropped in a love-stricken gaze.

"Uh-oh," said Stucky, "Look's like Emolga's got the advantage now."

Tesla said nothing, he knew commands were fruitless while Volta's under attract. He could hear the audience holding their breath.

"Use Hidden Power!" Cabot commanded.

Three green orbs explode from Emolga, and all three struck Volta dead on. Under the effects of Attract, Volta didn't scream as she got knocked across the field.

Tesla only stared.

"Now use Electro Ball!"

Emolga leaped up, a bright yellow energy ball formed at the tip of its tail. The Sky Squirrel swung it around and lobbed it at Volta. Again, Volta couldn't react. She laid on the ground, locked in the Attract's stupor. The Energy Ball struck Volta dead center, a cloud of dust kicked up into the air masking the carnage.

The familiar discomfort surged up Tesla's heart like a lightning bolt, the old Pikachu resist the urge to grab his chest as a million knives stabbed through his ribs. He forced himself to stand petrified, his face emotionless as he watched the dust swirl in the air. Cabot looked on, seemingly confident the battle was over. Emolga clutched his clipped arm, waiting to see the results of his handiwork. The audience held their breath. Several women covered their mouths in horror as tears trailed down their face, Tesla looked towards the crowd. He saw Ash and his friends in the top row, their faces were grief-stricken. Hipp had buried her face in her hands, crying her heart out.

_F*cking Attract. _Tesla thought.

Stucky clutched the microphone in his hands as Dr. Ameren sat by, unlike the others the doctor had an emotionless expression. If he felt any grief, the doctor didn't show it. In some ways, he seemed eager to see what happens next.

_"A man chooses, a Pokémon obeys," _Pikachu muttered in Pokémon speech.

A few eyes turned towards Tesla.

_"Volta, this time you choose."_

The dust clouds faded, revealing the Tiny Mouse Pokémon. Deep smudges of dirt and bloodied scrapes covered her once pristine yellow fur, grime and dried sweat covered her pink handkerchief. Tesla felt his heart sink, she looked like a soldier coming out of a long and bloody war. Volta slowly got to her feet, she panted heavy breathes as she glared at Emolga.

"She's not down yet." said Stucky.

Emolga stared at Volta for a long agonizing second, the entire arena held its breath. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon undid the handkerchief from her neck, then balled it into her hands. She tossed aside as if was a used rag, _"So that's how you wanna play it," _she said, _"__Do you know who I am, Emolga?"_

_ "What?" _Emolga asked.

Volta balled her fist and got into a stance, _"I'm a descendent of the Master of Electricity, let me show you how my living ancestor does it."_

At that instant, Volta's body turned into white plasma.

The whole arena gasped as her bright evolutionary light engulfs the room. Tesla held a hand over his eyes, trying to see what was happening. Volta's silhouette was plainly visible, just a thin outline in a ball of white light. Tesla's jaw dropped, even though he was preparing for this moment he hadn't expect it would be this soon.

"She's evolving!" Tesla blurted.

Volta's silhouette doubled in size. Her head and body became more stout, her arms and legs became more firm. Tiny fingers sprouted from her hands. Her ears became thinner, becoming somewhat like bullet-shaped spikes. Finally her tail extended, zig-zaging three times into a lightning-bolt. The tip indents, its edges smoothed to form a heart-shaped end. The classic indication of a female.

The white ball of light ceased, and in its place was Volta Westinghouse, a newly evolved Pikachu.

The audience exploded into loud cheers, Tesla stepped back and took a deep breath, "Okay," he said, "Let's wrap this up."

_"Way ahead of you." _said Volta.

Volta leaped up, a bright ball of yellow energy formed at the tip of her newly-formed tail. She somersaulted in the air and launched it at Emolga. The Sky Squirrel, taken by surprise, couldn't dodge it at time. The Electro Ball knocked him off his feet and exploded, launching him across the field.

"Oh crap," muttered Cabot, "Uh, Emolga, use Hidden Power!"

Emolga leaped on his feet and launched three balls of charged plasma.

"Dodge, and use Iron Tail!" Tesla commanded.

Volta charged, she dodge-rolled to the left. The Hidden Power missed her entirely. She rushed up to Emolga, her tail becoming solid steel. Volta brought her tail to full swing, she twist her body 360 degrees and the tip of her tail struck Emolga across the mouth. The Sky Squirrel spun around several times before collapsing on the ground.

"Quick Attack!" cried Cabot.

Emolga leaped up and charged, head-butting Volta in her solar plexus. The newly-evolved Mouse Pokémon arched her back, she rolled end over end and landed on her feet.

"She didn't take much damage!" Dr. Ameren cried.

Volta's cheeks sparkled, her body lit up with yellow electricity as she unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt. Tesla awed in amazement, somehow the Thunderbolt seemed dazzling to him.

"Counter with Discharge!" cried Cabot.

Emolga unleashed his own blast of electricity, once again both electric archs meet at the center. Volta and Emolga repelled each others forces for a few seconds. Emolga struggled to hold on, yet Volta showed no signs of strain. The two pressed each other for a full thirty seconds, the line between the archs failed to shift.

"Wrap this up, Volta," Tesla commanded, "Fry him!"

Volta ceased her Thunderbolt and dodged, the Discharge blasted where she stood. Before Emolga could take aim, Volta cast another Thunderbolt. This time she was faster, strike Emolga hard. The Sky Squirrel Pokémon screamed as the full effects of the Thunderbolt attacked his nervous system. The Thunderbolt exploded, thick clouds of dust kicked up around Emolga. Volta balled her fist, ready to counterattack if he bounced back up.

But he didn't. The cloud dispersed, revealing a downed Sky Squirrel Pokemon. Big spirals circling in his eyes.

"Emolga is unable to battle," announced Stucky, "The Faraday Power Tournament goes to Tesla Westinghouse and Volta!"

Tears of joy flooded Volta's eyes, she rushed up to Tesla and leaped into his arms. Both Mouse Pokémon knocked each other into the ground, both hugged each other with all their strength, _"We did it," _she cried, _"We won, we actually won!"_

_ "You won, Volta," _said Tesla, _"I just merely guided you."_

Volta kissed Tesla's cheek, filling the old Pikachu's heart with glee.

**. . .**

Smugleaf and Wotter didn't stick around to see the celebration, they packed their things and went back through the vents. They fixed the vents and retrieved their rope, then stuck the lock back over the ladder's cover. After walking at least a kilometer from the Vegas City Gym, they emptied their piss bottles in the storm drains before discarding the bottles in the trash cans.

_"Is it coming back yet?" _Smugleaf asked.

_"No," _said Wotter, _"Memory's not coming back yet."_

When it eventually does, he would wish he hadn't remembered.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	21. Chapter 21

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __2__1_

Tesla wasn't sure if he was happy or sad, he was proud of her yet grief-stricken. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon – no, _the _Mouse Pokémon – was ready to fend for herself. The old Pikachu was already considering his options when he left the Vegas City Gym, but he shoved the thoughts aside. _His _great-great granddaughter had just made her greatest accomplishment, and for that he must celebrate. In other words, get drunk.

But Volta wouldn't allow it.

When they got to the Red Rock Hotel, he suggested to Volta if she wanted to try a beer. She blew up for the third time this week, _"NO, NOT A BEER! EVER!"_

Then she broke down in tears.

Instead of feeling sorry for her, Tesla broke down laughing. Ash and his friends looked on in confusion as the old Pikachu gave her a hug, _"Volta," _he said in Pokémon speech, _"You don't have to worry anymore. Believe me, when drunk at the right moment alcohol can let you have a good time."_

Volta sniffled, _"But look what alcohol did to you, it made you a fool and it killed your liver!"_

_ "That's because I abused it. You don't have to start right away, maybe never at all. But remember, take a moment to enjoy life once in a while. Among all the things I've done for you, this is one thing I wanted most of all."_

"Here, Volta," said Tesla, "Let's go have a little fun, you and me. What do you say?"

Volta's eyes glittered underneath the overhead lights, she manage a nod, _"Okay," _she said, _"But I'm exhausted, Tesla. My energy is spent. Can we do something that doesn't have much walking in it?"_

"Course we can, how about the café?"

Volta let out a big smile, _"Sure! Can you tell me a story as well!?"_

"Why not?"

Tesla turned to Ash, "Can you go find Cabot? I need to talk to him."

"Sure," said Ash, "I'll go find him for you."

_"We will!" _Pikachu chirped.

As Ash and his friends leave, Hipp stayed behind. The Audino approached Tesla and sat a hand on his shoulder, _"Anything I need to be aware of?" _she asked.

_"No," _said Tesla in Pokémon speech, _"There's nothing you need to worry about. Why not have a drink at the café? They have really good cold drinks with caramel and chocolate."_

_ "I can't stand sweets." _Hipp whined.

Tesla frowned, _"Well, you're no fun."_

_ "And it's getting late, caffeine can make you-"_

Tesla seized Hipp's hand and squeezed it, _"Do you know how much short-term memory you can have at one time?"_

_ "Seven thoughts per second," _she said. _"Why?"_

_ "Narrow that down to one thought: You, sitting back, relaxing without a care in the world. Now, Hipp, if you can make it through the remaining hours of the day without frying then I think you will do better once you're back on the job."_

Hipp lowered her head, she took a deep breath and held it for a moment, _"It's just so hard not to think, but I'll try."_

Tesla reached down and kissed her hand. Hipp jumped, yanking her hand out of Tesla's grip. She squirmed as she held it away, _"You're alright?" _Volta asked.

_"I'm fine," _she said, she flexed her hand and stared at the area Tesla had kissed, _"I, uh, I gotta go. I really gotta go."_

_ "__You're a real friend, Hipp," _said Tesla, _"If I __was__ younger, I would ask you out on a date."_

Hipp's eyes widened, _"Oh, uh, how sweet of you. Um, I'll be at the Pokémon Center. Please be back, will you?"_

_ "Sure, Hipp. Just remember to-"_

Hipp was already out the door before Tesla could finish. The old Pikachu chuckled to himself, Hipp was quite funny, she probably doesn't realize she was quite a comedian. That nervous wreck of an Audino might need some professional help controlling her anxiety. Maybe it was a bad idea to kiss her hand, she must be germaphobic considering what horrors lay in his mouth, _"Germaphobe," _Tesla thought aloud, _"That must be what's bothering her."_

Volta stepped up from behind and wrapped her arms around Tesla's chest, _"Can we have some cheese sandwiches instead of hot drinks?" _she asked, _"My belly's all rumbily."_

_ "Alright," _said Tesla, _"Why not?"_

**. . .**

People were staring at them. Some were taking small curious glances, while a few were locked on. Volta didn't mind the attention. She was a special case in that tournament, her trainer was a Pokémon, not to mention a living ancestor. Nonetheless, she snuggled up besides Tesla as they sat on the cushion chairs of the café. It was already getting late. Volta was ready to go to bed, but she couldn't bring herself to sleep. She nibbled on her grilled cheese sandwich as she listened to Tesla's voice, resting her head on his shoulder while he stroke her ears.

Oddly enough, Volta didn't feel like a grown-up. Sure, she evolved into a Pikachu. She was almost as big as Tesla and just as strong. But she still feel like a youngster. Volta wondered if Tesla was going to dump a load of responsibility on her, it scared her to think that he was going to toss her into the wild to fend for herself. Oh f*ck no, hopefully that would _never _happen. Volta couldn't find herself ready to let Tesla go, but the old Pikachu seemed persistent on it. She thought back at those moments when Tesla told her what he had planned for her. Deep down in her heart, Volta knew those plans were more fantasy than actual intentions, cause the old Pikachu wasn't showing it.

Volta ate the rest of her sandwich before wrapping her arms around Tesla. He felt smaller now, probably because she got taller. Volta ran her fingers against his bandages, listening to his voice as he spoke.

"We had a snow day when I was in my sixties, Irvin's Pokémon were thrilled when that blanket of snow came falling from the sky. It was around 40 to 60 centimeters of snowfall, and by the time it stopped falling the whole countryside looked like a landscape from the frozen ice caps. I remember looking up at the sky to see gray sky, trying to find the sun. I couldn't see any trace of it, the clouds were so thick that daytime felt like sunrise and sunset, with a lack of shadows."

_"How do you like the snow?" _Volta asked.

"I honestly never liked the snow," said Tesla, "Snow is cold and unforgiving. My feet, tail, and ears kept getting cold no matter how much insulation that I put on. There was one time where I was walking around the snow, watching my friends build igloos and snowmen when I sunk into the wintery mix. The snow bit me so hard that it felt worse than fire. I was pissed, so pissed that my anger kept me warm enough to avoid frostbite," Tesla snickered, "Of course, anger turned to grief. And by the time I was ready to start crying, Irvin sunk his cyber hand into the snow and pulled me out by the arm. My friends said I was begging for Irvin to hug me, and so he cradled me like a baby while I whimper like one."

Volta giggled, _"Had you ever went back out into the snow?"_

"A few times, and every time I get swallowed up before taking one step. Even though it wasn't his fault, I blamed Irvin for having me go outside, even though he didn't say I had to."

Both Mice Pokémon let out a laugh.

_"I love you, Tesla." _said Volta.

"I love you too, sweetie."

Volta opened her mouth and slowly pulled up some of Tesla's fur with her teeth, the old Pikachu rubbed her ears as she pruned his fur, massaging the skin while nuzzling her nose into his armpit. Some clumps of fur came loose and floated onto the cushion of the chair, _"You're still shedding." _

"Doesn't matter now," said Tesla, "If I'm going to lose my fur, then so be it. What's important right now is being with you.

Volta reached up and licked Tesla on the cheek, the old Pikachu laughed and pushed her away, "That ain't necessary, Volta."

_"But I wanna give you kisses!" _she insisted.

Tesla held Volta's head and kissed her between her eyes, "Then what are you waiting for?"

Volta stood up and buried her nose into Tesla's ear, he laughed as her tongue twirled around the inside of his ear canal, "Volta, that tickles!"

The Mouse Pokémon leaped up on Tesla's head, perching herself in the usual spot, "Volta, please get off. You're too fat now."

_"Fat? How am I fat?"_

Tesla reached up and grabbed her love handles, "Classic Pikachu flab, makes you wanna cuddle more."

_"Ah, let go!"_

Volta fell off and landed on her back, Tesla reached down and poked her in the belly. She giggled as she covered her belly with her hands, _"Stop!"_

"But you are so adorable, how can I stop?"

The café door opened and Cabot stepped through. Ash and his friends were following behind him, looking quite unsure on what to do.

"You needed me, Tesla?" Cabot asked.

Tesla sighed, "You know what I'm about to ask you."

Volta's smile dropped, she turned to Teslaasked, _"What's going on, Tes?"_

The café went silent, only the background music was playing.

_"Before our match at the arena," _Tesla said in Pokémon speech, _"I've asked Cabot if he could take you in after you evolve. He agreed."_

Volta gasped, _"No, Tesla. No, no, please don't toss me out!"_

_ "Volta, I'm not tossing you out. I told you clearly that I'm not going to leave you _alone_ in the world. Cabot here has a home to shelter you, a bed for you to rest, and plenty of food and water for you to eat and drink. As much as I love to, I cannot provide those things. I don't have a home or a bed, and I can't keep purchasing food to feed you. He doesn't have to train you if you don't want him to, what's important is that he will take care of you better than I can."_

Volta shook her head, a tear escaped her eye, _"Please don't leave me, Tesla. Oh, I should have never even evolved!"_

Tesla spoke in human speech, "I would have gave you up either way, there isn't much I can do about it."

The Mouse Pokémon sobbed, _"No."_

"Look at me, Volta."

Volta held up her head, more tears trail down her face.

"If you're gonna function in this world, you'll need friends. Lots of it. Hang around with Cabot for a while and make some friends you think you can keep in touch. I managed to get this far in life by having some friends with dews needed to be paid. I had just called one in just to let you set foot on a Pokémon battlefield."

Tesla placed both hands on Volta's shoulders, "You cannot rely on me forever, there will always be other people and Pokémon who can help you."

Volta said nothing.

"I know how this feels, Volta," Tesla added, "I never had a choice in the matter, but you do. You can go back to your home with your Dad and his buddies or move in with Cabot, but staying with me is not an option."

_"You're going to look for Polly, are you."_

Tesla shook his head, "I don't think I am ever going to see her again, maybe not even what's left of her."

_"But will I see you again?"_

Tesla nodded, "You will, I'll promise you that."

Volta looked up at Cabot, then looked back at Tesla, _"You said there will be a home, a bed?"_

"Much like the hotel here," said Tesla, "But more private."

She thought about her options: Volta could either go back to Dixie or stay with Cabot, till Tesla decides to take her back under his wing. Ray, Bruiser, and her dad, Pika, are close relatives with a horde of family members behind them, but there might be a lack of shelter and food might be a problem. Cabot had all those things, but she doesn't know him, and she doesn't know squat about his own friends. It felt like a gamble, but she doesn't see anything obvious that may be a major downside.

Volta wrapped her arms around Tesla, _"I love you, Tesla, and I will miss you."_

_ "I won't forget about you," _he said in Pokémon speech, _"Once I got a stable home set up, you can move in with me at anytime."_

_ "I'll go with Cabot," _she said, _"I trust your judgment on this, Tesla, because I love you."_

Volta got off the chair and approached Cabot, "You've forgot your handkerchief at the arena," he said, "I've cleaned it up for you."

Cabot got down and pulled out her pink handkerchief. The grime and dried sweat was washed away, leaving nothing but the bright pink color. Cabot wrapped it around Volta's neck and gently knotted it so it looked kinda like a scarf, "There we go," he said, "You look so cute, you know that."

Volta smiled, _"Thank you."_

Tesla got off the chair, then look up at Cabot, "Thank you for taking in Volta, Cabot. As long as she's under your care, I am forever in your debt."

"You want my phone number so you can call to check up on her?" Cabot asked.

"No, that would be too much."

Volta spun around and gave Tesla a big hug, Tesla couldn't help but laugh, "Goodbye, Volta. I love you."

The latest generation of Tesla's family held her mouth to his ear, and whispered her final words to him in Vegas City, "I love you too, Tesla."

**. . .**

Tesla's eyes went white, _Did Volta just spoke__n__ . . . human?_

When Volta let go of him, Tesla remained frozen in place. She turned around and jumped up in Cabot's arms, _"Okay," _she said, _"Let's go."_

Cabot cradled her in his arms, she snuggled her face into his chest, getting ready to sleep off the night. He then turned to Ash, "It's nice meeting you, Ash," he said, "I see why Tesla liked you so much, you're definitely a true friend."

"Thank you, Cabot," said Ash, "We'll see each other again some other day."

_"Yeah," _said Pikachu, _"Some other day."_

Cabot nodded, "Bye, you guys. Take care."

"So long, Cabot." said Cilan.

"Bye." said Iris.

_"Bye." _added Axew.

Cabot turned towards the door and walked out, Tesla watched as he took his great-great granddaughter away. His heart churned, his stomach flipped, and his mind was clouded with a sense of loss . . . and puzzlement.

"She spoke human," Tesla muttered to himself, "Volta learned how to speak human, but . . . how?"

"You said something, Tesla?" Ash asked.

Tesla blinked, then shook his head, "Uh, nothing, Ash. Thanks again for helping me to train Volta, I swear I was at the edge of letting her down several times. I don't know how I can repay you."

"Don't worry about it, its always good to help a friend. That's what matters."

_"Truly what matters." _said Pikachu.

Tesla looked up at the ceiling, "Well, I guess I better head back to the Pokémon Center for more diagnostics. I am still not in the clear for my liver you know."

"We'll come over to the Pokémon Center tomorrow morning," said Ash, "If you don't mind, of course."

"No, I don't mind."

"Is it alright if we escort you back?" Cilan asked.

"Sure," said Tesla, "But I'll walk, you don't need to carry me."

**. . .**

Darkness came swiftly, and Wotter and Smugleaf were more than ready.

After cleaning and loading their MP5s, they packed away the rest of the ammo and clips into their backpacks. Wotter then dragged their mattresses to the center of the room while Smugleaf soaked the room with lighter fluid. She made sure she got enough over the mattresses, they were going to be difficult to burn.

Smugleaf tossed the empty butane carton on the mattresses, _"How long do you think this would burn?"_

_ "I'm not sure," _said Wotter, _"I'm not fire-type."_

_ "Well, hopefully it wouldn't be long."_

The PRA operatives did one final sweep for any evidence of their presence, certain that they covered up their stay Smugleaf stuck a candle stick in the grooves of the floor. She struck a match and lit the candle, the fuse had been lit, _"Okay," _she said, _"Let's get outta here."_

Smugleaf and Wotter sneaked out the back and climbed down into the storm drain, they managed to snake across town before reemerging near an industrial district. They crept under the shadows searching for a van with a manual sliding door. They didn't have to search for long. They found a white utility van parked outside of a warehouse, it looked like it had been sitting there for a while. Smugleaf checked the van, then nodded, _"I can hot-wire this, cover me while I work my magic."_

As Wotter stood watch, Smugleaf defeated the door lock and got inside. She wrapped her vines around the steering wheel and gave it a sharp twist, the steering wheel lock shattered under her strength. Smugleaf turned the wheel a few times to be sure it was broken. Satisfied she pulled the steering column cover off and ripped out the ignition wires, she twist the battery wires together. The car's power turned on, the door signal in the dash started beeping. Smugleaf grabbed the green wire and touched the battery wires, the engine churned and turned over.

_"Are you done, yet?" _Wotter asked.

_"Hold on," _said Smugleaf, _"Just one more thing."_

She jumped out and crawled underneath the van and disabled the clutch lock. It was just a simple pin holding it all together, Smugleaf ripped it out and tossed it aside, _"Okay, I'm done. You're driving."_

Wotter got behind the wheel as Smugleaf rode shotgun. The Discipline Pokémon managed to get the van in gear and drove out into the street. He drove steadily and well within the recommend speed limit. Smugleaf was amazed how steady he was, _"Since when did you learn to drive?"_

_ "Nobark taught me." _Wotter tersely say.

They drove to a more secluded spot in Vegas City. The operatives pulled into an open parking lot and stopped. Wotter got out and unscrew the license plates off the van while Smugleaf unscrewed a couple of license plates off of two random cars. As Wotter replaced those with the van's license plates Smugleaf screwed the cars' onto the van, _"That would stir up confusion."_

Wotter quickly rejoined Smugleaf, _"I'll drive up to Cabot's hotel with my window rolled down, you get in the back and go prone, facing the driver-side of the van. Once I stop, I'll signal you to yank open that sliding door then we'll commence firing. But that's only if we have to wait."_

_ "What if you see Cabot?"_

_ "I'll screech to a halt and you rip open that van door, then we unload on him."_

Smugleaf nodded, _"You drive this van back out here and hide it somewhere, then we bail out of Vegas City on foot."_

Wotter grinned, _"And pizza and beer awaits us."_

**. . .**

Volta giggled as Cabot stroke her belly, she smiled and cooed, adoring him with her black pearl eyes. Cabot smiled, "You are so cute, you know that?"

The Mouse Pokémon let out a soft coo in response.

This was the very Pokémon who had defeated his Emolga. She was fierce and merciless when in battle. But outside of battle, she was the most precious thing who ever walked the planet. It was almost as if Volta was truly innocent, her heart more purer than gold. Tesla had raised her right, as far Cabot could tell Tesla was the best father _and _teacher anyone could have. It was sad for him to let her go, sad because he knew he was destined to let her down. So he cut his losses by having Volta move in with him.

"When we get to my apartment," Cabot told Volta, "I'm going to give you a nice warm bath, groom your fur, and fix you the best meals your heart desires. I have a Tempurpedic bed at home, you're going to love it. With a touch of a button, you can warm it up and cool it down, even change how soft and hard you want it."

"Pika?" Volta asked.

"You don't have to worry about a thing, you'll be safe and warm. Believe me, you will like it."

Volta nestled her head back into Cabot's chest, he rubbed her ears and held her up, "If you want, you can help me train my other Pokémon."

"Pikachu?"

The Mouse Pokémon gave Cabot a confused look, a part of her might want to help him while another part doesn't. Cabot cradled her head, "Don't worry about it just yet," said Cabot, "Give it a few weeks before you decided what to do with your spare time."

Volta nodded, "Pika Pika."

**. . .**

_"Holy sh*t," _said Wotter, _"There he is, get ready!"_

Smugleaf cocked her MP5 and went prone on the van's floorboard, she faced the back driver-side sliding door and took aim, _"Ready, Wotter!"_

**. . .**

The van crept steadily just 70 meters away, it didn't rang any of Cabot's alarm bells. He saw vans go both fast or slow. The utility companies and service providers work feverishly to keep their networks up and working. Smart grids, satellites, communicator and videophone reception, Vegas City had all these neat toys that demand immediate care. The technicians in the van were probably doing their evening diagnostic tests, just to make sure someone tonight could order a pizza.

Cabot cradled Volta in her arms. It was starting to get cold out, but so far she remained comfortably warm. Maybe she had tuned out the world so she could savor the moment. The Mouse Pokémon's face was buried in his armpit, Cabot could feel her breathe into his shirt. She must like his scent, probably trying to get used to the smell. Or, she had fallen asleep. That tournament took a drain on her, she was ready to sleep for 10 hours straight.

_And she will get plenty of it, _he thought.

The hotel was just right around the corner. Cabot yawned, he too was beat. Though he had lost the Faraday Island Tournament, having the victor's Pokémon was a nice constellation prize. Besides, he didn't need the money. His life was just as fine the way he had it, maybe the next time he sees Tesla he should thank him for his unconditional support.

But that was not meant to be.

Cabot located his hotel room and approached it, just as he was halfway down the sidewalk he heard the van stop behind him. Out of curiosity, he turned to see what it was doing. The driver-side window rolled down, the sliding-door ripped open. The shadows inside stuck out barrels of sub-machine guns, aimed directly at him.

_Oh sh*t._

Cabot spun around and threw Volta as far as he can.

**. . .**

Volta was rudely waken by loud bangs and flashing lights. The Mouse Pokémon spun end over end before kissing the pavement, she tumbled twice and came to a stop against a trash can.

_What's going on!? _She thought.

**. . .**

Smugleaf grinned when Cabot spun around, it made things easier.

She fired a two-round burst, both rounds struck the back of Cabot's head. His medulla and half his brain turning to jelly. He was dead before he could hit the ground.

But Nobark wanted it to be a mafia hit style, so Smugleaf squeezed the trigger and unloaded the 30-round magazine into Cabot's cooling corpse.

Wotter was quick with his gun, he took steady aim and unleashed a full-auto blitzkrieg. Their combined fire shook up the sleeping city like storm. Birds scattered, car alarms went off. It sounded like a world war despite the sub-sonic rounds muted noise.

Nonetheless, the extra stopping power made things twice as messy. Cabot was quickly turned into red and pink Swiss cheese in less than 10 seconds. Blood and brain got lodged in the wall of the hotel, chunks of flesh strewn across the pavement. Cabot's glasses went flying, clattering near one of the hotel doors.

A bright plasma arch strewn out of Cabot's backpack, an Emolga materialized just a few meters away from its dead trainer. Smugleaf saw the shattered remnants of a Poké ball spilled out of his backpack through a bullet hole. Somehow the Poké ball caught a round and got destroyed, releasing the Pokémon within.

The Emolga was facing away from the trainer, before it could see the carnage Smugleaf shot a vine at the Sky Squirrel and coiled it up. Smugleaf gave it no time to react, she quickly pulled the Emolga into the van and slammed the butt of her gun against the back of its head. The Sky Squirrel went limp.

Smugleaf shoved the Emolga into the back of the van and took one final glance outside. In the darkness, she caught a glimpse of a Mouse Pokémon huddling at the foot of a trash can. She realized who it was when she saw the pink handkerchief.

_Volta, I presume. _Smugleaf thought.

One prisoner was enough, and there was no time to bag a second. So Smugleaf fired the rest of her clip above Volta's head, the Mouse Pokémon scrambled on her four feet and scurried away into the alleys.

_"Step on it!" _Smugleaf cried.

Wotter wasted no time, he tossed his gun into the passenger seat and floored the gas. Smugleaf was thrown against the back of the car as the van sped down the road, _"Slow down for a sec, I need to get the damn door shut!"_

The Discipline Pokémon slowed the van just enough for Smugleaf to stand, she wrapped a vine around the sliding door's handle and pushed. It slammed closed. For an added safety measure, she locked the doors so no one could get them open, _"Head back to the parking lot, we'll ditch the van there!"_

_ "Why did you bag that Emolga, Smugleaf!?" _Wotter swore.

_"Just shut up and drive, we'll argue this later!"_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	22. Chapter 22

**DISCLAIMER: Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, this story was made for non-profit use only.**

**INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.**

_Chapter __2__2_

The rest of Ash's night was peaceful, nothing particular or strange about it. To him, it was like every other night.

Tesla beamed confidence, his happiness was rusty but he managed to show a weak smile. Getting him back to the Pokémon Center wasn't difficult, he managed the entire way without any problems. When he stepped into the Pokémon Center's lobby, Tesla nearly collapsed from exhaustion. Ash quickly reached down and caught him in time, when he asked if he was alright Tesla responded with light snores. He carried the old Pikachu to the reception desk and handed him to the awaiting Nurse Joy, who looked slightly worried. Ash glanced around to see if Hipp was somewhere. No sign of the Audino anywhere, it was like she had dropped off the map.

After exchanging thanks and welcomes, Ash, Cilan, and Iris returned to the Red Rock Hotel. Before they stepped inside they heard distant sirens going off. They looked up into the night sky and saw a column of smoke rising steadily towards the sky.

"Looks like a conflagration had broken out," said Cilan, "I hope it isn't as bad as it seem."

When they got inside, several Pokémon trainers were having conversations. Ash approached and asked about the fire, "An abandoned apartment complex," said one, "It's a big one, half the Vegas City Fire Department are on it right now."

"Had anyone got hurt?" Ash asked.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu added.

"No one was hurt, that place had been empty for years."

Ash and the group head back to their hotel room without further comment.

**. . .**

The next morning was quiet, strangely quiet without Tesla and Volta. The bathroom was clean. The toilet bowl was white as ever, not a single stain was visible. The tub was dry as a bone, lacking the familiar yellow carpet when Tesla was staying with them. Volta's bath soap was still there, almost empty.

The group wash and dressed for the day, then went down to the breakfast room. Ash baked himself a waffle and got a cup of soy milk, then sat down at the usual table. Cilan poured two bowls of Pokémon food each for Axew and Pikachu, they politely dug into their breakfast without further comment.

Ash stared at the empty chair where Tesla used to sit, he acted so _human _when eating. He did say Irvin had taught him such matters, for some reason he almost expected Pikachu to eat with chopsticks or a fork of some kind. But no, Pikachu was eating out of the usual Pokémon dish as he always done.

But why does it looks so vague?

"Excuse me?" said a voice.

Ash looked up, it was Kayla, one of the contestants from the Faraday Power Tournament, "Is Tesla here?" she asked.

"He's at the Pokémon Center," Ash answered, "Why?"

"I walked out before the tournament finished, I knew he was going to win so I didn't stick around. I hadn't expected his great-something granddaughter would evolve. I just wanted to apologize to him for some . . . things," then Kayla added, "Is Volta with him, too?"

"Tesla gave her up to Cabot," said Ash, "I was there."

"It was hard for them both," said Iris, "The poor thing."

"Axew." Axew sorrowfully added.

Kayla sighed, "I don't know what to think of Tesla, he's a foreign Pokémon yet he acted so much like us. Talks like us, walks like us, he even _fights _like us. What does that tell you guys?"

"We've seen Pokémon who act and talk like people before," said Ash, "Believe me, you'll get used to it after a few regular encounters."

"You know he had a number on his foot?"

Ash raised an eyebrow, "No, I don't."

"It reads, KVF115, his tag number for when he got caught in Kanto. He was a little upset when I pointed it out. Did he tell you about it?"

"He told us his story," said Cilan, "But not the number."

"I never thought much about the number until Volta used Bind on my Pachirisu. I didn't see the then-Pichu choking my Pokemon, all I saw was that number. Poor Volta, Tesla's anger had spilled into her."

"When she battles," said Cilan, "It's like she was a different Pokemon, he was scared at her own strength. Somehow Tesla forced her to use it, she wouldn't have done all that on her own."

Ash looked away and returned to his waffle, he found he lost his appetite, and so pushed it aside, "You wanna come with us to the Pokémon Center, he isn't going anywhere anytime soon."

"Sure," said Kayla, "I hope he is in a good mood."

"He was in a good mood last night, so he might be feeling alright this morning."

At that moment, Ash heard the tiny punts of running feet. He turned to the breakfast room doors and saw Hipp running through, The Audino's eyes were ready to explode, she couldn't contain her shock, "Audino Audino Audino," she screamed, "Aud Aud!"

Pikachu and Axew looked at each other, they leaped off their chairs and followed Hipp out the door, "Something must have happened." said Iris.

Ash felt his heart sink into his stomach, _Oh no._

**. . .**

The gang rushed over to the Pokémon Center as fast as they could, they burst through the door and screeched to a halt at the reception desk. Hipp, Pikachu, and Axew were waiting for them, "Aud Aud!" said Hipp.

Hipp lead them to Tesla's hospital room, Nurse Joy was just outside the door. Tears were running in her eyes, she turned to Ash and said, "Something happened last night, it's horrible."

"Is Tesla alright?" Ash asked.

"Pika Pika?" Pikachu asked as well.

"He's upset, he sent Hipp to find you guys. He'll tell you what happened."

Cilan scratched his head, "What could have gone wrong so fast?"

The group stepped into the room. Tesla's head was buried under his pillow, his rear end sticking up in the air. He wasn't moaning or crying, he was completely silent. Ash approached Tesla with caution. The old Pikachu might lash out without giving a second thought, his electric attacks would do more than electrocute him.

Ash hovered his hand over Tesla's back. He hesitated, he looked at his friends to see if they could back him up. They just stared at him in silence, there was nothing more they could do.

_Please don't shock me._

He sat his hand on Tesla's back, the old Pikachu slowly pulled his head out. His eyes were glazed with fresh tears, he must had finished crying some time ago.

"Cabot Richardson is dead." Tesla croaked.

Ash said nothing, his eyes widened, _Dead? _He thought, _Like . . . gone?_

"He was murdered outside his hotel," Tesla added, "Volta's gone, no sign of her anywhere."

Cilan gasped, "H-How did this happen?"

Tesla shrugged, "You tell me."

"I'm sorry, Tesla." said Ash.

"It was never your fault to begin with, Ash," said Tesla, "Volta trusted my judgment, and I failed her big time. If she's dead, then I've been wasting my time. But if she's alive, I doubt she would ever trust me again."

"Is there anything we could do?" Ash asked.

Tesla shook his head, "You and your friends had done all they could, and for that I am grateful."

The old Pikachu's voice trailed off, the room went silent save for the air conditioner.

"Could she had been kidnapped?" Iris asked.

"If she was kidnapped I would've been told about it," said Tesla, "I had friends kidnapped before, I always get the message from the kidnappers right after the actual kidnapping. But no one called the Pokémon Center, wherever Volta is now she's on her own."

Tesla hugged Ash and whimpered, "Why does bad stuff always happen to me? Every time I do something good, or something that makes me happy. The world crashes down around my ears. The freakin' curse is getting more cruel."

"There's no such thing as curses, Tesla." said Cilan.

The old Pikachu shot a look at him, "Real or not, one thing is clear. My past is still haunting me."

Tesla laid back down on the bed and sighed, "Ash, you best leave for the Unova League. Maybe some day I'll meet up with you again."

Ash stroke Tesla's head, "Where would you be heading next, Tes?"

"There was a Dewott that I keep seeing in Vegas City," said Tesla, "And sometimes a Snivy. I think I recognized the Dewott as an old acquaintance, I think he might have something to do with Cabot's murder."

"Why do you say that?" Ash asked.

"He was spying on me. He was leaning against a lamppost a few days ago, pretending to read the newspaper while taking occasional glances at me. How stupid was that? Might as well tell the whole world he was spying on me," then Tesla added, "Once I'm free to go, I'll go track this Dewott down. My instincts are telling me there's a conspiracy cropping up."

Tesla looked at Ash in the eye and nodded, "Please go, Ash, and thank you."

Ash and his friends left the room, but Kayla stayed behind. They didn't stick around to hear what she had to say, they simply walked back into the lobby and sat down, "I can't believe Cabot was killed," said Iris, "That's horrible!"

"Axew!" Axew cried.

Pikachu hopped up on Ash's lap and snuggled into his shirt, "Pikachu." he cooed.

Ash stroke his ears, "Don't worry, buddy, Tesla will be fine."

_What is happening to you, Tesla? _Ash thought, _It's like the world is turning against you._

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Ash dread what the answer would be.

Hipp approached Ash and took his hand, "Aud?"

"I'm okay, Hipp," he said, "You've been a great help with Tesla."

The Hearing Pokémon let out a small smile, "Audino."

Ash turned to his friends, "We better go, guys. The Unova League will start any day now.

"Right," said Cilan, he got up from the couch and stretched his arms, "Bye, Hipp. Thank you for all your help."

"Aud Aud!" Hipp chirped.

Ash and his friends got up and left the Vegas City Pokémon Center for the final time, when they left Vegas City they shoved the thought of Tesla and Cabot's demise into the backs of their minds. It was sad for what happened, but there was no need to get beat up over it. What matters was they were there for their friend, and their time in Vegas City wasn't a waste.

Surely things will turn out right in the end, but will it?

**THE END!**


End file.
